AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALLY -- DISTRICT COURT PRACTICE (Provides amendments to the assessment of filing fees required to appeal from certain matters adjudicated by the district court.)

H7642

2026 -- H 7642
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LC005100
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALLY --
DISTRICT COURT PRACTICE

Introduced By:
Representative Susan R. Donovan

Date Introduced:
February 11, 2026

Referred To:
House Judiciary
(Judiciary)
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Sections 9-12-10 and 9-12-10.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 9-12 entitled
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"District Court Practice" are hereby amended to read as follows:
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9-12-10.
Claim of appeal of superior court
Claim of appeal to the superior court in
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civil cases.
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Except as otherwise provided, in all civil cases in the district court, any party may cause
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the case to be removed for trial on all questions of law and fact to the superior court for the county
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in which division the suit is pending by claiming an appeal from the judgment of the district court,
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in writing, filed with the clerk of the division within two (2) days, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays,
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and legal holidays, after the judgment is entered; provided, that the party claiming the appeal, at
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the time of claiming the appeal, shall pay
to the clerk all costs, including an attorney’s fee of fifty
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dollars ($50.00), for the party or parties adversely interested in the judgment, to be paid by the clerk
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to the attorney for the adverse party. The attorney’s fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) shall be divided
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equally among the attorneys for the parties adversely interested when more than one adverse party
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is involved; and provided, further, that costs shall not be taxed, exclusive of the attorney’s fee, at a
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sum not less than twenty-five dollars ($25.00), in addition to
a
seventy-five dollar ($75.00) filing
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fee, inclusive of a civil case processing fee and a
technology surcharge assessed in accordance with
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§ 8-15-11.
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9-12-10.1. Claim of appeal to superior court in landlord tenant actions.

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In any civil action pursuant to chapter 18 of title 34, in the district court or other appropriate
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court, any party may cause the case to be removed for trial on all questions of law and fact to the
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superior court for the county in which division the suit is pending, by claiming an appeal from the
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judgment of the district or other appropriate court, in writing, filed with the clerk of the division
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within five (5) days
, inclusive of Saturdays, Sundays or legal holidays,
after the judgment is
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entered; provided, that the party claiming the appeal at the time of claiming the appeal, shall pay
to
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the clerk all costs, including an attorney’s fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) for the party or parties
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adversely interested in the judgment, to be paid by the clerk to the attorney for the adverse party;
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provided, further, that costs shall not be taxed, exclusive of the attorney’s fee, at a sum less than
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twenty-five dollars ($25.00), in addition to

a seventy-five dollar ($75.00) filing fee, inclusive of a
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civil case processing fee and
a technology surcharge assessed in accordance with § 8-15-11.
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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2027.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALLY --
DISTRICT COURT PRACTICE
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This act would provide amendments to the assessment of filing fees required to appeal from
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certain matters adjudicated by the district court.
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This act would take effect on January 1, 2027.
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LC005100
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