Rhode Island
Divorce, lawyers, and free legal help in Rhode Island — verified against official sources.
How divorce filing works in Rhode Island
The Rhode Island Judiciary's Family Court runs "Guide and File" self-help — guided interviews and filing instructions for finalizing a divorce. Start there before anything else.
Rhode Island Judiciary Family Court — Guide and File
Self-help for finalizing a divorce, with guided interviews and filing instructions.
courts.ri.gov — guide and file →Find a divorce lawyer
Rhode Island Bar — Lawyer Referral Service
Referrals by geography and practice area, including a Reduced-Fee Program: 401-421-7799.
ribar.com — lawyer referral →New to hiring a lawyer? Read Start Here first — it covers what to ask and what to bring.
Free or low-cost legal help
Rhode Island Legal Services
Statewide legal aid for low-income residents: 401-274-2652 / 800-662-5034.
rils.org →Report Child Abuse or Neglect
Call 1-800-742-4453 (1-800-RI-CHILD) — RI Department of Children, Youth & Families, 24/7; anonymous reports accepted. Every Rhode Island resident is a mandated reporter.
dcyf.ri.gov — report abuse →RIHousing Homeowner Assistance Programs
Per RIHousing's official page: free foreclosure-mediation conferences with lenders and free confidential HUD-approved foreclosure-prevention counseling through the RIHousing HelpCenter (401-457-1130). Details at rihousing.com. (HAF-RI is closed to new applications.)
rihousing.com — homeowner assistance →Call 211
Free, confidential referrals to local help. Dial 211 from any phone.
211.org →Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Confidential statewide 24/7 helpline 1-800-494-8100, plus online chat via HelplineRI.com.
ricadv.org — helpline →Unpaid wages in Rhode Island
Your boss owes you pay and won't hand it over? Here's where to file and how long you have in Rhode Island.
Where to go
Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, Division of Labor Standards
Time limit to file
3 years
What the floor is
$16.00 (2026)
Changing your name in Rhode Island
Whether it's marriage, divorce, or just time for a fresh start — here's the process in Rhode Island.
How it works
petition the probate court of the city or town where you live
Typical court fee
~$30 plus local surcharge (varies by town)
Newspaper notice required?
no (newspaper notice banned by 2024 law)
Small claims court in Rhode Island
Suing someone without a lawyer, for smaller amounts, in a simpler court. Here's how it works in Rhode Island.
Maximum claim
$5,000
Filing fee
$75.75
Can you bring one?
yes — allowed, not required
Clearing your criminal record in Rhode Island
Expungement or sealing can hide eligible arrests and convictions from background checks. Here's where Rhode Island stands.
Can records be cleared?
yes — expungement
What qualifies
first-offender nonviolent misdemeanors and felonies; deferred sentences
Waiting period
5 years for misdemeanors; 10 years for felonies (15 for multiple felonies)
Learn more about clearing your criminal record in Rhode Island →
Child support in Rhode Island
How child support gets calculated — and when it ends — in Rhode Island.
How it's figured
income shares (both parents' gross incomes combined) guidelines in R.I.G.L. § 15-5-16.2; Family Court child support worksheet
When it ends
age 18 and high school graduation, but no later than 19
Lemon law in Rhode Island
Bought a new car that's constantly in the shop? Rhode Island's lemon law may get you a refund or a replacement.
Which vehicles qualify
new and leased vehicles (motor vehicles under 10,000 lbs); used vehicles also covered
When it's legally a lemon
4+ repair attempts for same defect or 30+ calendar days out of service within 1 year/15,000 miles
What you get
refund or replacement vehicle
Tenant rights in Rhode Island
Renting comes with rights most people never hear about until something goes wrong. Here are the key ones in Rhode Island.
Notice before eviction
5-day demand for nonpayment (after 15-day grace); 30 days to end month-to-month
Deposit limits & return
Max 1 month's rent; return within 20 days with itemized written list
When the landlord won't fix things
May repair and deduct after notice; tenant must keep itemized list of expenses (R.I. Gen. Laws 34-18-30)
DUI / DWI in Rhode Island
Driving under the influence carries some of the stiffest penalties in everyday law. Here's how Rhode Island handles it.
Blood alcohol (BAC) limit
0.08; tiered penalties at 0.10 and 0.15
Typical penalties
$100-$300 fine; 10-60 hours community service (up to 1 year jail possible); 30-180 day license suspension
How far back DUIs count
10 years (expanded from 5 years effective July 1, 2025)
Gun laws in Rhode Island
Gun laws vary a lot from state to state — what's perfectly legal in one state can be a crime in another. Here's the big picture for this state. Laws change often, so double-check anything before you act.
Carrying a concealed handgun
Permit required; hybrid shall-issue (towns) / may-issue (Attorney General); minimum age 21
Carrying openly
Allowed with restrictions (requires AG-issued license)
Background checks & waiting periods
Private sales: Universal background checks required Waiting period: 7 days.
Extreme risk protection
Yes. Courts can temporarily order firearms removed from someone found to be a danger.
Reciprocity
Does not honor any out-of-state concealed carry permits.
Filming the police: your rights in Rhode Island
Federal appeals courts across the country have recognized a First Amendment right to photograph and record police officers performing their official duties in public. The U.S. Supreme Court has not ruled on it directly. The right does not protect interfering with officers, trespassing, or breaking other laws while you record.
One-party consent
If you are part of a conversation, you may record it — including with police. (R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-35-21)
No buffer-zone law
Rhode Island has no law setting a minimum distance for filming police. You still must not interfere with officers doing their jobs.
The 1st Circuit (Glik v. Cunniffe, 2011), which covers Rhode Island, held there is a clearly established right to openly record on-duty police in public; Gericke v. Begin (1st Cir. 2014) extended it to traffic stops. The right does not protect physically interfering with officers, only recording.
Drug & alcohol addiction help in Rhode Island
Addiction is a health issue, and help is out there — including court programs that can send people to treatment instead of jail. No insurance needed to call.
SAMHSA National Helpline
Free, confidential referrals to treatment — call 1-800-662-4357 (English & Spanish).
Human trafficking victims in Rhode Island
If you or someone you know is being forced to work or forced into sex against their will, you are a victim of a crime and help is available — immigration status does not matter.
National Human Trafficking Hotline
Call 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733 — free, confidential, for victims and anyone who suspects trafficking.
Bullying in Rhode Island
Every state has an anti-bullying law, and every school must have a plan. If your child is being bullied, document what happens and report it in writing to the school — and know what your state’s law requires.
Homelessness help in Rhode Island
If you are homeless or at risk of losing your housing, help is close by. Shelters, food, health care, and long-term housing programs exist in every community.
211 homeless services
Dial 211 and press 6 for homeless services in your area.
VA homeless veterans
Homeless veterans: call the VA National Call Center at 1-877-424-3838 (877-4AID-VET), 24/7.
Deed fraud & squatters in Rhode Island
Thieves can forge a deed to steal your home’s title — many counties offer free recording alerts that notify you if anything is filed against your property. And if someone is living in your property without permission, your state has specific rules for removing them: you generally cannot just change the locks.
FBI: protect your property from deed fraud
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center alert on parcel-owner impersonation →