R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 34-19 § 34-19-1
Warrant for summons of jury
Operative Text
Whenever a complaint shall be made in writing and under oath of the complainant, or of some one in his or her behalf, to a justice of the superior court, that any person has made unlawful and forcible entry into lands or tenements, and with a strong hand detains the lands or tenements, or that, having made lawful and peaceable entry, or peaceable entry, into lands or tenements, any person unlawfully and with force holds and detains them, the court shall make out a warrant under its hand and seal, directed to the sheriff of the county in which the lands or tenements lie, or to his or her deputy, commanding him or her in behalf of the state to cause to come before the superior court, at such time and place as the court shall appoint within the county, twelve (12) good and lawful men or women of the same county, which warrant shall be in the following form: THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND. SC. (SEAL) To the sheriff of the county of .......... or .......... to his or her deputy, .......... Greeting: Whereas complaint is made to me, the subscriber, by .......... of .......... that .......... of .......... upon the .......... day of .......... at ...... with force and arms and with a strong hand did unlawfully and forcibly enter into and upon a tract of land of him or her .......... in .......... aforesaid .......... containing .......... acres, bounded as follows, viz.: (or, into the messuage or tenement of him or her, .......... as the case may be, describing it) and him or her .......... with force and a strong hand as aforesaid did expel and unlawfully put out of possession of the same (or, as the case may be, that having made lawful and peaceable entry, or peaceable entry, such person unlawfully and with force holds and detains him or her .......... out of the same), you are hereby commanded in behalf of the state to cause to come before our superior court, upon the ...... day of .......... at ...... o'clock ( : ) in the ...... noon at .......... in the county of .......... twelve (12) good and lawful men or women of your county to be impaneled and sworn, to inquire into the forcible entry and detainer (or forcible detainer, as the case may be), as aforedescribed. Given under my hand and seal the ...... day of .......... in the year ...... . Justice of the superior court.
Rhode Island General Laws § 34-19-1 establishes the formal process by which a superior court responds to a sworn written complaint alleging that someone has either forcibly entered and taken possession of land or a dwelling, or is unlawfully holding possession after an otherwise lawful entry. Upon receiving such a complaint, the court is required to issue a warrant directed to the county sheriff or a deputy, ordering them to assemble a jury of twelve people from that county to hear the matter. The statute also prescribes the exact form that this warrant must take, including the specific language and details to be filled in for each case.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 34-19-1, a property owner who believes someone has made an unlawful and forcible entry onto their land or is wrongfully detaining it may initiate a formal legal proceeding by filing a sworn written complaint with a Rhode Island Superior Court justice. Compliant operators in this situation generally ensure the complaint is made in writing, under oath, and contains the specific details about the property and the alleged unlawful conduct as contemplated by the statute's warrant form. Familiarity with this provision helps property owners understand that the court-driven jury process—not self-help remedies—is the legally recognized path for addressing forcible entry or detainer in Rhode Island.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 34-19-1 of Rhode Island General Laws is relevant to tenants because the same formal court process it establishes can be used to challenge an unlawful or forcible removal from a property. A tenant who believes they have been wrongfully expelled or that someone is forcibly detaining them from their home may have standing to bring a sworn complaint before a Superior Court justice under this provision. Tenants facing such situations may benefit from consulting a tenant-rights organization or legal aid service to understand how this jury-based process applies to 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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