R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 34-18 § 34-18-6
Temporary restraining orders — Ex parte proceedings
Operative Text
(a) No temporary restraining order shall be granted without notice to the adverse party unless it clearly appears from specific facts shown by affidavit or by the verified complaint that immediate and irreparable injury, loss, or damage will result to the applicant before notice can be served and a hearing had thereon. Every temporary restraining order granted without notice shall be endorsed with the date and hour of issuance; shall be filed forthwith in the clerk's office and entered of record; and shall expire by its terms within such time after entry, not to exceed ten (10) days, as the court fixes, unless within the time so fixed, the order by consent or for good cause shown and after hearing of argument by the parties or counsel, is extended for an additional period. In case a temporary order is granted without notice, the motion for a preliminary injunction shall be set down for hearing at the earliest possible time and shall be given precedence over all matters except older matters of the same character; and when the motion comes on for hearing, the party who obtained the temporary restraining order shall proceed with the application for a preliminary injunction, and, if he or she does not do so, the court shall dissolve the temporary restraining order. (b) On two (2) days' notice to the party who obtained the temporary restraining order without notice, or on such shorter notice to that party as the court may prescribe, the adverse party may appear and move its dissolution or modification, and in that event the court shall proceed to hear and determine such motion as expeditiously as the ends of justice require. (c) Every order granting an injunction and every restraining order shall be specific in terms; shall describe in reasonable detail the act or acts sought to be restrained; and is binding only upon the parties to the action, their officers, agents, managers, employees, and attorneys, and upon those persons in active concert or participation with them who receive actual notice of the order by personal service or otherwise.
Rhode Island General Laws § 34-18-6 governs how temporary restraining orders (TROs) may be issued in landlord-tenant matters without first notifying the other side. Under this provision, a court may grant such an emergency order only when sworn facts demonstrate that waiting to give notice would cause immediate and irreparable harm; any order issued this way automatically expires within ten days unless extended by consent or good cause after argument. The opposing party retains the right to seek quick dissolution or modification of the order on as little as two days' notice, and any injunction or restraining order must describe the restrained conduct in specific, reasonable detail to be enforceable.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers involved in proceedings under § 34-18-6 should understand that a TRO obtained against them without prior notice carries a built-in expiration of no more than ten days, and they have the right to move for its dissolution or modification on as little as two days' notice to the party who obtained it. Compliant operators generally keep records of any court orders affecting their properties, note the exact date and hour of issuance endorsed on the order, and monitor whether the opposing party timely pursues a preliminary injunction hearing — because failure to do so requires the court to dissolve the TRO. Any injunction or restraining order issued under § 34-18-6 binds not only the named parties but also their agents, employees, and anyone acting in concert with them who receives actual notice.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Tenants who seek or face a temporary restraining order under § 34-18-6 should know that an emergency order issued without notice to the other side is strictly time-limited — it expires within ten days unless the court extends it for good cause after hearing from both sides. If a TRO is entered against a tenant without prior notice, § 34-18-6(b) provides a path to quickly challenge it by appearing in court and moving for its dissolution or modification, typically on two days' notice. Tenants navigating these proceedings may benefit from consulting a tenant-rights organization or legal aid provider familiar with Rhode Island court procedures to understand which options are available in their circumstances.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 15, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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