Rhode Island Supreme Court Appeal Process

1. The Anatomy of an Appeal
in a Civil Case to the
Rhode Island Supreme Court
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2. Pre-Docketing
Judgment, Order
or Decree
Notice of Appeal
Mediation
Statements
in eligible cases
20 days R.I. Sup. Ct. R. App. P. 4(a)
20 days R.I. Sup. Ct. R. App. P. 35(d)

3. Post-Docketing
Case Docketed
Appellant’s
Statement
of the Case
Appellee’s
Counterstatement
of the Case
15 days
20 days R.I. Sup. Ct. R. App. P. 12A(1)
R.I. Sup. Ct. R. App. P. 12A(2)

4. Rule 12A Conference
Rule 12A
Conference
Assignment to
Show Cause
R.I. Sup. Ct. R. App. P. 12A(3)(a)
Assignment to
Regular Calendar
Referral to Court
Conference
R.I. Sup. Ct. R. App. P. 12A(3)(c) R.I. Sup. Ct. R. App. P. 12A(3)(b)
Case may be:
Decided by the Court
Assigned to Show Cause
Assigned to Regular Calendar

5. Briefing
Assignment to
Show Cause
Assignment to
Regular Calendar
20 days* R.I. Sup. Ct. R. App. P. 12A(4)
Appellant’s Optional
Supplemental
Statement
Appellee’s Optional
Supplemental
Counterstatement
10 days* R.I. Sup. Ct. R. App. P. 12A(4)
* Unless otherwise ordered by the Court
40 days* R.I. Sup. Ct. R. App. P. 16(a)
Appellant’s Brief
Appellee’s Brief
40 days* R.I. Sup. Ct. R. App. P. 16(b)
Appellant’s
Reply Brief
20 days* R.I. Sup. Ct. R. App. P. 16(c)

6. Oral Argument – Show Cause Calendar
10 minutes R.I. Sup. Ct. R. App. P. 24(b)
Appellant’s
Argument
Appellant’s Rebuttal
Appellee’s
Argument
10 minutes R.I. Sup. Ct. R. App. P. 24(b)
2 minutes R.I. Sup. Ct. R. App. P. 24(b)

7. Oral Argument – Regular Calendar
30 minutes R.I. Sup. Ct. R. App. P. 24(b)
Appellant’s
Argument
Appellant’s Rebuttal
Appellee’s
Argument
30 minutes R.I. Sup. Ct. R. App. P. 24(b)
10 minutes R.I. Sup. Ct. R. App. P. 24(b)

8. Decision
There is no deadline for the issuance of decisions.
Most often, however, decisions are released by
July, when the Court begins its summer hours.