Rhode Island Superior Court General Civil Case Cover Sheet

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS

SUPERIOR COURT — GENERAL CIVIL CASE COVER SHEET

(Required with all new civil complaints filed in the Rhode Island Superior Court)

I. COURT AND FILING INFORMATION

II. PARTY INFORMATION

A. Plaintiff(s)

☐ Additional plaintiffs listed on attachment.

B. Defendant(s)

☐ Additional defendants listed on attachment.

III. ATTORNEY / SELF-REPRESENTED PARTY INFORMATION

A. Lead Counsel for Plaintiff (or Pro Se Plaintiff)

B. Lead Counsel for Defendant (if known at time of filing)

(Each additional counsel must file a separate entry of appearance if required by local rule.)

IV. CASE TYPE / NATURE OF PROCEEDING

(Check ONE primary category and the specific sub-category that best describes the principal cause of action. If multiple causes of action exist, select the single category that will drive the majority of judicial resources.)

A. CONTRACT

☐ A1 — Buyer/Seller Dispute
☐ A2 — Employment Contract
☐ A3 — Insurance Contract / Coverage Dispute
☐ A4 — Uniform Commercial Code (UCC)
☐ A5 — Construction Contract
☐ A6 — Breach of Warranty
☐ A7 — Other Contract: [________________________________]

B. REAL PROPERTY

☐ B1 — Real Property — Title Dispute
☐ B2 — Real Property — Foreclosure
☐ B3 — Partition
☐ B4 — Condemnation / Eminent Domain
☐ B5 — Landlord/Tenant (non-eviction Superior Court matter)
☐ B6 — Mechanic's Lien
☐ B7 — Quiet Title
☐ B8 — Other Real Property: [________________________________]

C. TORT — PERSONAL INJURY

☐ C1 — Motor Vehicle Accident
☐ C2 — Premises Liability / Slip and Fall
☐ C3 — Intentional Tort (Assault, Battery, etc.)
☐ C4 — Products Liability
☐ C5 — Wrongful Death
☐ C6 — Defamation / Libel / Slander
☐ C7 — Other Personal Injury Tort: [________________________________]

D. TORT — PROPERTY DAMAGE

☐ D1 — Motor Vehicle Property Damage
☐ D2 — Other Property Damage
☐ D3 — Conversion / Trespass to Chattels
☐ D4 — Trespass to Real Property

E. PROFESSIONAL MALPRACTICE

☐ E1 — Medical Malpractice
☐ E2 — Legal Malpractice
☐ E3 — Dental Malpractice
☐ E4 — Accounting Malpractice
☐ E5 — Other Professional Malpractice: [________________________________]

F. CIVIL RIGHTS AND DISCRIMINATION

☐ F1 — Employment Discrimination (R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-5-1 et seq.)
☐ F2 — Fair Housing (R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-37-1 et seq.)
☐ F3 — Public Accommodations
☐ F4 — Other Civil Rights: [________________________________]

G. ADMINISTRATIVE AND GOVERNMENTAL

☐ G1 — Administrative Agency Appeal (R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-35-15)
☐ G2 — Zoning Board Appeal
☐ G3 — Tax Appeal
☐ G4 — Certiorari
☐ G5 — Mandamus
☐ G6 — Other Administrative: [________________________________]

H. EQUITY AND DECLARATORY RELIEF

☐ H1 — Declaratory Judgment
☐ H2 — Injunctive Relief (Temporary/Preliminary/Permanent)
☐ H3 — Specific Performance
☐ H4 — Receivership
☐ H5 — Other Equity: [________________________________]

I. MASS TORT / CLASS ACTION

☐ I1 — Mass Tort
☐ I2 — Class Action (R.I. Super. Ct. R. Civ. P. 23)

J. POST-JUDGMENT AND ENFORCEMENT

☐ J1 — Foreign Judgment Domestication (Uniform Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Act)
☐ J2 — Arbitration Award — Confirmation
☐ J3 — Arbitration Award — Vacatur
☐ J4 — Post-Judgment Collection Proceedings
☐ J5 — Other Post-Judgment: [________________________________]

K. MISCELLANEOUS CIVIL

☐ K1 — Extraordinary Writ (Habeas Corpus, etc.)
☐ K2 — Change of Name
☐ K3 — Quiet Title Action
☐ K4 — Interpleader
☐ K5 — Other Miscellaneous: [________________________________]

Primary Case Type Code Selected: [____]

V. RELIEF SOUGHT

A. Monetary Damages

☐ Yes ☐ No

If yes, amount in controversy (exclusive of interest and costs):

☐ Less than $10,000
☐ $10,000 — $75,000
☐ $75,001 — $150,000
☐ $150,001 — $500,000
☐ Greater than $500,000
☐ Amount unascertainable at this time

B. Equitable or Declaratory Relief

☐ Yes ☐ No

If yes, describe the equitable relief sought: [________________________________]

C. Punitive Damages

☐ Yes ☐ No

D. Jury Demand

☐ Yes — Jury trial demanded pursuant to R.I. Super. Ct. R. Civ. P. 38
☐ No — Bench trial / No jury demand at this time

(Note: Under R.I. Super. Ct. R. Civ. P. 38(b), a jury demand must be served no later than 10 days after service of the last pleading directed to the issue. Failure to demand a jury trial constitutes a waiver.)

E. Injunctive Relief

☐ Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) sought
☐ Preliminary Injunction sought
☐ Permanent Injunction sought
☐ Not applicable

VI. RELATED OR COMPANION CASES

Are there any related or companion cases pending or previously filed in any Rhode Island court?

☐ Yes ☐ No

If yes, provide the following information:

☐ Additional related cases listed on attachment.

(Disclosure of related matters assists the Clerk's Office in complying with judicial assignment rules and preventing inconsistent rulings.)

VII. SERVICE OF PROCESS INFORMATION

Plaintiff intends to serve process on the Defendant(s) by the following method(s):

☐ Rhode Island Sheriff / Deputy Sheriff
☐ Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested
☐ Acceptance of Service by Defendant's Counsel
☐ Secretary of State (for foreign corporations under R.I. Gen. Laws § 7-1.2-1409)
☐ Publication (with Court approval)
☐ Other method authorized by R.I. Super. Ct. R. Civ. P. 4: [________________________________]

Date service is expected to be completed: [__/__/____]

VIII. FILING FEE INFORMATION

(Verify current fees with the Superior Court Clerk's Office before filing. Fees are subject to change by administrative order.)

Payment Method:

☐ Check (payable to "Clerk of the Superior Court")
☐ Money Order
☐ Credit/Debit Card (if accepted for electronic filing)
☐ Cash
☐ Fee Waiver — Application for Waiver of Filing Fee attached (see Section IX)

(Note: The standard Superior Court civil filing fee is $160.00 plus applicable surcharges. Verify the current amount with the Clerk. Some case types have different filing fees.)

IX. FEE WAIVER REQUEST

(Complete only if requesting a fee waiver)

☐ I am requesting a waiver of the filing fee based on indigency.

☐ An Application for Waiver of Court Fees is attached hereto.

☐ I am receiving the following public assistance: [________________________________]

☐ I have been granted in forma pauperis status in this or a related matter. Case No.: [________________________________]

X. ELECTRONIC FILING INFORMATION

(Complete if filing electronically)

☐ This document is being filed electronically through the Rhode Island e-filing system.

☐ Filing attorney/party is registered with the Rhode Island e-filing system.

☐ All required documents are uploaded in the correct format (PDF).

☐ The Civil Case Cover Sheet is filed as a separate document accompanying the Complaint.

XI. CERTIFICATION AND SIGNATURE

I, the undersigned, certify that to the best of my knowledge, information, and belief, formed after an inquiry reasonable under the circumstances:

1. This filing is not presented for any improper purpose, such as to harass, cause unnecessary delay, or needlessly increase the cost of litigation;

2. The claims, defenses, and other legal contentions are warranted by existing law or by a non-frivolous argument for extending, modifying, or reversing existing law or for establishing new law;

3. The factual contentions have evidentiary support or, if specifically so identified, will likely have evidentiary support after a reasonable opportunity for further investigation or discovery; and

4. The information provided on this Cover Sheet is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge.

This certification is made pursuant to R.I. Super. Ct. R. Civ. P. 11.

XII. CLERK'S OFFICE USE ONLY

(Do not write below this line — For Court use only)

XIII. DOCUMENT CHECKLIST

Before filing, confirm the following documents are included:

☐ Civil Case Cover Sheet (this form) — completed and signed
☐ Complaint — original, with all required exhibits
☐ Summons — to be issued by the Clerk upon filing
☐ Filing Fee — payment or fee waiver application
☐ Jury Demand — if jury trial is requested (may be included in the Complaint)
☐ Certificate of Service — if serving simultaneously with filing
☐ Corporate Disclosure Statement — if any party is a corporation (R.I. Super. Ct. R. Civ. P. 7.1, if applicable)
☐ Application for TRO/Preliminary Injunction — if emergency relief is sought
☐ Additional copies — as required by the Clerk's Office for service

XIV. PRACTICE NOTES FOR RHODE ISLAND SUPERIOR COURT

A. Four Locations. The Rhode Island Superior Court sits in four counties: Providence/Bristol (combined), Kent (Warwick), Washington (Wakefield), and Newport. The Complaint must be filed in the correct county based on venue rules under R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-4-3 et seq.

B. Civil Jurisdiction. The Superior Court has original jurisdiction over civil actions at law where the amount in controversy exceeds $5,000 (the District Court limit) and concurrent jurisdiction with the District Court in certain cases. See R.I. Gen. Laws § 8-2-14.

C. Electronic Filing. Rhode Island Superior Court has implemented electronic filing for civil cases. Attorneys are expected to file electronically. Self-represented litigants may file in paper. Refer to the Court's e-filing page for registration and technical requirements.

D. Filing Fees. The base filing fee for a civil complaint in Superior Court is $160.00, plus a technology surcharge and processing fee. Fees may vary for specific case types and are subject to change by administrative order. Always verify the current fee schedule with the Clerk before filing.

E. Jury Demand. Under R.I. Super. Ct. R. Civ. P. 38, a jury demand must be served no later than 10 days after service of the last pleading directed to the triable issue. Failure to demand a jury within the prescribed time constitutes a waiver. The demand should be made on the cover sheet and in the complaint or a separate demand.

F. Service of Process. Under R.I. Super. Ct. R. Civ. P. 4, process may be served by a Rhode Island sheriff or deputy, or by any other method authorized by the rule. Service must be completed within 120 days of filing the complaint unless the Court grants an extension for good cause.

G. Case Assignment. After filing, cases are assigned to a specific judge according to the Court's case assignment procedures. Disclosure of related cases on this cover sheet helps ensure consistent judicial assignments.

H. Administrative Orders. Practitioners should review current Superior Court administrative orders, which may impose additional filing requirements or modify existing procedures.

Sources and References

• Rhode Island Superior Court Rules of Civil Procedure: https://www.courts.ri.gov/Courts/superiorcourt/Documents/SuperiorCourtRulesOfCivilProcedure.pdf
• Rhode Island Superior Court Filing Fees: https://www.courts.ri.gov/Courts/superiorcourt/Pages/Superior-Court-Filing-Fees.aspx
• Rhode Island Superior Court Civil Case Process: https://www.courts.ri.gov/Courts/superiorcourt/Pages/Civil-Case-Process.aspx
• R.I. Gen. Laws § 8-2-14 — Superior Court Civil Jurisdiction
• R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-4-3 et seq. — Venue Rules
• R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-29-18 — Superior Court Filing Fees
• R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-29-21 — Technology Surcharge
• R.I. Super. Ct. R. Civ. P. 3 — Commencement of Action
• R.I. Super. Ct. R. Civ. P. 4 — Process (Service Requirements)
• R.I. Super. Ct. R. Civ. P. 5 — Service and Filing of Pleadings
• R.I. Super. Ct. R. Civ. P. 11 — Signing of Pleadings; Certification; Sanctions
• R.I. Super. Ct. R. Civ. P. 23 — Class Actions
• R.I. Super. Ct. R. Civ. P. 38 — Jury Trial of Right (10-day demand deadline)
• R.I. Gen. Laws § 7-1.2-1409 — Service on Foreign Corporations via Secretary of State
• R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-5-1 et seq. — Fair Employment Practices Act
• R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-37-1 et seq. — Fair Housing Practices Act
• R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-35-15 — Administrative Procedures Act (Judicial Review)