Title 10
Courts and Civil Procedure — Procedure in Particular Actions

Chapter 5
Attachment

R.I. Gen. Laws § 10-5-7

§ 10-5-7. Classes of property named in writ. [Effective until January 1, 2026.]

Whenever a writ of attachment can be issued by any court, it may command the attachment of the goods and chattels of the defendant and his or her real estate and his or her personal estate in the hands or possession of any person, copartnership or corporation, as his or her trustee, except as provided in § 6A-7-602, and his or her stock or shares in any banking association or other incorporated company, and may be varied so as to command the attachment of one or more of the classes of property of the defendant.

History of Section.
C.P.A. 1905, § 514; G.L. 1909, ch. 299, § 18; G.L. 1923, ch. 349, § 18; G.L. 1938, ch. 548, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 10-5-7; P.L. 1960, ch. 147, § 3.

§ 10-5-7. Classes of property named in writ — Limitation on filing execution. [Effective January 1, 2026.]

(a) Whenever a writ of attachment can be issued by any court, it may command the attachment of:

(1) The goods and chattels of the defendant;

(2) The defendant’s real estate; provided that, no attachment shall be filed against a defendant’s principal residence for a judgment in any action where the plaintiff’s claim against the defendant was based on medical debt. For the purpose of this section, “medical debt” shall have the same meaning as defined in § 6-60-1; and

(3) The defendant’s personal estate in the hands or possession of any person, copartnership, or corporation, as the trustee, except as provided in § 6A-7-602, and the stock or shares in any banking association or other incorporated company, and may be varied so as to command the attachment of one or more of the classes of property of the defendant.

(b) A violation of the prohibition provided in subsection (a)(2) of this section shall constitute slander of title.

History of Section.
C.P.A. 1905, § 514; G.L. 1909, ch. 299, § 18; G.L. 1923, ch. 349, § 18; G.L. 1938, ch. 548, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 10-5-7; P.L. 1960, ch. 147, § 3; P.L. 2025, ch. 300, § 3, effective January 1, 2026; P.L. 2025, ch. 301, § 3, effective January 1, 2026.