R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 34-18.1 § 34-18.1-19
Order of judgment on nonpayment of rent in pending appeals
Operative Text
In the event that the defendant or defendants shall fail or refuse to pay all sums promptly when due, in accordance with the provisions of § 34-18.1-18, the court in which the case is pending, shall, without any trial on the merits, on motion of the plaintiff or plaintiffs, and hearing thereon, including satisfactory proof of the nonpayment, enter an order for the entry of judgment and the issuance of execution and the prompt service thereof, and from that order there shall be no appeal. The papers shall be forthwith returned to the district court which shall, upon payment of the required fee, issue an execution without further delay.
Rhode Island General Laws § 34-18.1-19 establishes what happens when a tenant who has an appeal pending fails to keep up with rent payments as required under § 34-18.1-18. If those payments are missed or refused, the court handling the appeal can issue a judgment and order execution — essentially ending the appeal — without holding a full trial on the underlying merits of the case. Once that order is entered, no further appeal of that order is permitted, and the matter is returned to the district court for prompt enforcement.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 34-18.1-19, landlords whose cases are on appeal have a procedural tool available when a tenant stops making the required ongoing rent payments during that appeal. A compliant operator generally keeps careful records of each payment due and received, so that if a payment is missed, satisfactory proof of nonpayment can be presented to the court on a motion. When the court grants such a motion, the case returns to district court for execution, and the resulting order cannot itself be appealed.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section § 34-18.1-19 means that tenants who have an appeal pending must continue making rent payments as specified under § 34-18.1-18 — failing to do so can result in a judgment being entered against them without a hearing on the merits of their appeal. Tenants in this situation may want to understand exactly what payment amounts and deadlines apply under the companion provision, since missing even one payment can trigger this accelerated process. Tenant-rights organizations in Rhode Island can help explain what options may be available when navigating an active appeal under this statute.
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.
Effective Timeline
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation