AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE--COURTS -- DISTRICT COURT (Moves North Kingstown from the third division of the district court to the fourth division to better balance case workloads among the divisions.)

H7748

2026 -- H 7748
========
LC005104
========

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

Introduced By:
Representatives Craven, McEntee, and Shanley

Date Introduced:
February 12, 2026

Referred To:
House Judiciary
(Judiciary)
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
1
SECTION 1. Section 8-8-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 8-8 entitled "District Court" is
2
hereby amended to read as follows:
3

8-8-2. Divisions.
4
(a) For the distribution of court business, the state is divided into four (4) divisions as
5
follows:
6
(1)
Second division.
The second division consists of the city of Newport and the towns of
7
Jamestown, Little Compton, Middletown, Portsmouth, and Tiverton. Appeals and transfers in cases
8
arising in the enumerated cities and towns of the second division shall be transmitted by the clerk
9
of the Second Division District Court to the clerk of the Newport County Superior Court.
10
(2)
Third division.
The third division consists of the city of Warwick and the city of
11
Cranston and the towns of Coventry, East Greenwich, Foster, Glocester, Johnston, Lincoln,
North
12
Kingstown,
North Providence, North Smithfield, Scituate, Smithfield, West Greenwich and West
13
Warwick. Appeals and transfers in cases arising in the enumerated cities and towns of the third
14
division shall be transmitted by the clerk of the Third Division District Court to the clerk of the
15
Kent County Superior Court.
16
(3)
Fourth division.
The fourth division consists of the towns of Charlestown, Exeter,
17
Hopkinton, Narragansett, New Shoreham,
North Kingstown,
Richmond, South Kingstown, and
18
Westerly. Appeals and transfers in cases arising in the enumerated cities and towns of the fourth
19
division shall be transmitted by the clerk of the Fourth Division District Court to the clerk of the

1
Washington County Superior Court.
2
(4)
Sixth division.
The sixth division consists of the cities of Central Falls, East
3
Providence, Providence, Pawtucket, Woonsocket and the towns of Barrington, Bristol, Burrillville,
4
Cumberland and Warren. Appeals and transfers in cases arising in the enumerated cities and towns
5
of the sixth division shall be transmitted by the clerk of the Sixth Division District Court to the
6
clerk of the Providence County Superior Court.
7
(b) In each division the place or places for holding court shall be designated by the chief
8
judge.
9
(c) The district court shall have a seal for each of its divisions, which shall contain the
10
words, “District court of the State of Rhode Island, division.”
11
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect two (2) months after passage.
========
LC005104
========

LC005104 - Page 2 of 3
EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE--COURTS -- DISTRICT COURT
***
1
This act would move North Kingstown from the third division of the district court to the
2
fourth division to better balance case workloads among the divisions.
3
This act would take effect two (2) months after passage.
========
LC005104
========

LC005104 - Page 3 of 3