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Small claims forms · Rhode Island

Rhode Island small claims court forms, filled in for you

Answer a few questions once. Vera fills in the Rhode Island court's own forms from your answers, walks you through anything left, and gives you one packet to file, with how to file it.

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If you were sued: your answer is due 20 days after you were served. Source: District Court Rules of Small Claims Procedure 2.05 and the Answer to Small Claims Lawsuit (DC-SC-2).

To sue (you're the plaintiff)

  • Small Claims Lawsuit (Self-represented Litigant) (DC-SC-1)

    The court's own form (www.courts.ri.gov)

    What to know
    • This is the Rhode Island District Court's form, listed on its Small Claims page (courts.ri.gov).
    • Small claims are for money only, $5,000 or less not counting interest and costs: contract claims, claims from a retail sale or services, and claims on a negotiable instrument (R.I. Gen. Laws § 10-16-1). The court cannot order anyone to do something or return property, and personal injury, negligence (such as car accidents) and property damage cannot be filed there (Instructions on How to File a Small Claims Case, revised October 2021).
    • File it with the Clerk of the District Court, Small Claims Division, in the division where you or the defendant lives, or where the defendant is found (R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 10-16-3, 9-4-3). "If the plaintiff is a corporation with assets under $1 million, you must file this form in the division of the District Court where the defendant resides" (the form, page 6; § 10-16-3).
    • Vera marks the District Court location on the "What to do Next?" page (Murray, Noel, McGrath or Garrahy Judicial Complex) only when the name of your court as you saved it names the county, the complex or the division; otherwise use the list of cities and towns on that page. The form has no place for the case number: it is "To be filled in by the court" (the form).
    • Vera filled your name at the top of the "Your name, address, telephone, and email" box and the defendant's name at the top of the defendant's box on page 2, and under them the addresses, telephone numbers and your email from your answers in Court forms. The defendant's email is there only if you gave it. If you said you are suing a second defendant, Vera put their name and address in the first row of the defendant table on page 3; add their telephone and email there. Add your lawyer if you have one, and any other plaintiff or defendant in the tables (no P.O. Box for a defendant) (the form).
    • From your answers, Vera filled how much the defendant owes you and why, with the date and how you figured the amount (page 3), and in Part 2 checked the box your answer about the defendant's military service picks. Check each one. If the box says the defendant is or is not in military service, finish its "because" line: how you know (the form). In Part 3 check whether you will use an expert witness; Vera does not (the form). The form has no line for interest: "If you win your lawsuit, the court clerk will tell you the amount you will receive from the Defendant as well as any interest and court costs you may be owed" (the form).
    • No appeal: by filing a small claim you give up your right to appeal (Part 4 of the form; R.I. Gen. Laws § 10-16-4(b) requires "a written waiver of right of appeal"; D.C.R.S.C.P. 7.01). If you win, the defendant may appeal within two days, not counting weekends and legal holidays (D.C.R.S.C.P. 7.01).
    • "You must sign this form in front of a notary"; "If you fail to sign this form in front of a notary, the court will not accept and file your claim" (Part 5 of the form; D.C.R.S.C.P. 1.06(A)). Vera fills none of the signature or the notary's part.
    • File pages 2 to 5 and keep a copy (the form, Steps 1, 2 and 5). Self-represented litigants may file electronically but are not required to (D.C.R.S.C.P. 1.02). The court rejects documents filed electronically "in a fillable portable document format (PDF)" (D.C.R.S.C.P. 1.06(G)): print the pages, or file them on paper at the clerk's office.
    • Fee: the District Court's Civil Fees and Costs page lists the "Small Claims Filing Fee" as $55.00, plus a one-time Civil Case Processing Fee of $17.50 and a Technology Surcharge of $3.25 on a case filed electronically or scanned at the clerk's counter, and 3.25% more by credit card. The court's Instructions on How to File a Small Claims Case (revised October 2021) say "The filing fee to file a small claims case is $75.75" ($55.00 + $17.50 + $3.25). R.I. Gen. Laws § 10-16-4(a) sets the $55.00 entry fee plus a technology surcharge.
    • The court makes the summons (D.C.R.S.C.P. 2.03(B)). Take the packet (DC-SC-1 pages 2 to 5, the summons, a blank Answer to Small Claims Lawsuit (DC-SC-2) and the four Language Assistance Notices) to the sheriff's office or to a constable licensed by the Department of Business Regulation to be served on the defendant (the form, Step 4; the Small Claims page). The sheriff or constable charges a service fee and mails the served summons back to you; file it with the clerk (Instructions on How to File a Small Claims Case). If service is not made within 120 days after filing, the court may dismiss the case as to that defendant (D.C.R.S.C.P. 2.03(J)).
    • The defendant has twenty (20) days after service to file an answer, or a default judgment may enter. If the defendant answers, the court refers the case to mediation, and you must contact the mediator by the date in the court's notice; if mediation fails, the court sends a hearing notice with a trial date (the form, Steps 6 to 8; D.C.R.S.C.P. 2.05, 6.01).
    • If your claim is for a residential security deposit: the landlord must deliver it with an itemized written notice within twenty (20) days after the later of the end of the tenancy, delivery of possession, or your giving a forwarding address; if not, you may recover the amount due plus damages of twice the amount wrongfully withheld, and reasonable attorney fees (R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19(b), (c)).
    • A person needs no lawyer (D.C.R.S.C.P. 3.01). The owner or a partner may represent an unincorporated business. A plaintiff corporation (including an LLC or LLP) needs a lawyer unless it has assets under $1,000,000, is a close corporation, and an officer designates a representative by an affidavit of designation attached to the complaint; "A defendant corporation must be represented by an attorney, no exceptions" (D.C.R.S.C.P. 3.02, 3.03; R.I. Gen. Laws § 10-16-3.1). The court's forms library has no affidavit of designation form.

  • Answer to Small Claims Lawsuit (Self-represented Litigant) (DC-SC-2), for the defendant

    The court's own form (www.courts.ri.gov)

    What to know
    • Do not fill it in: it is the defendant's form. It is not filed with your claim: print it and include it in the packet served on the defendant (DC-SC-1, Steps 3 and 4). Vera fills nothing on it.
    • This is the Rhode Island District Court's form, listed on its Small Claims page (courts.ri.gov).

  • Language Assistance Notice (English)

    The court's own form (www.courts.ri.gov)

    What to know
    • It is not filed: it is served on the defendant with the summons, the Small Claims Lawsuit and the Answer. DC-SC-1 says to print "the four (4) Language Assistance Notices in Cambodian, English, Portuguese, and Spanish" (Steps 3 and 4; D.C.R.S.C.P. 1.04). It has nothing to fill in.
    • It tells the reader of the right to a court interpreter at no cost (the notice).

  • Language Assistance Notice (Cambodian)

    The court's own form (www.courts.ri.gov)

    What to know
    • It is not filed: it is served on the defendant with the summons, the Small Claims Lawsuit and the Answer. DC-SC-1 says to print "the four (4) Language Assistance Notices in Cambodian, English, Portuguese, and Spanish" (Steps 3 and 4; D.C.R.S.C.P. 1.04). It has nothing to fill in.

  • Language Assistance Notice (Portuguese)

    The court's own form (www.courts.ri.gov)

    What to know
    • It is not filed: it is served on the defendant with the summons, the Small Claims Lawsuit and the Answer. DC-SC-1 says to print "the four (4) Language Assistance Notices in Cambodian, English, Portuguese, and Spanish" (Steps 3 and 4; D.C.R.S.C.P. 1.04). It has nothing to fill in.

  • Language Assistance Notice (Spanish)

    The court's own form (www.courts.ri.gov)

    What to know
    • It is not filed: it is served on the defendant with the summons, the Small Claims Lawsuit and the Answer. DC-SC-1 says to print "the four (4) Language Assistance Notices in Cambodian, English, Portuguese, and Spanish" (Steps 3 and 4; D.C.R.S.C.P. 1.04). It has nothing to fill in.

If you were sued (you're the defendant)

  • Answer to Small Claims Lawsuit (Self-represented Litigant) (DC-SC-2)

    The court's own form (www.courts.ri.gov)

    What to know
    • "File your Answer within twenty (20) days of service"; if you do not, "the court can enter a judgment by default" (the form, Steps 3 and 4; D.C.R.S.C.P. 2.05, 6.01). Service is the day the sheriff or constable delivered the papers (the form, Step 3).
    • This is the Rhode Island District Court's form, listed on its Small Claims page (courts.ri.gov).
    • Vera marks the District Court location on the "What to do Next?" page (Murray, Noel, McGrath or Garrahy Judicial Complex) only when the name of your court as you saved it names the county, the complex or the division; otherwise use the list of cities and towns on that page. The form has no place for the case number: it is "To be filled in by the court" (the form).
    • Part 1 on page 3 is where "the plaintiff writes how much you owe" (the form). Vera fills no amount.
    • Vera filled your name at the top of the "Your name, address, telephone, and email" box and under "Print Your Name" in Part 6, and your address, telephone and email from your answers in Court forms. Add your lawyer if you have one (the form). Part 1 is the plaintiff's amounts: copy them from the papers you were served (the form: "the plaintiff writes how much you owe").
    • From your answers, Vera checked one box in Part 2: "I disagree with the claim", with your reasons (and first the amount you agree you owe, if you disagree with only part and gave it), if you disagree with all or part of it; or "I admit I owe the claim" if you agree you owe it. If you admit it, write why you need more time to pay, if you do. Part 4, the counterclaim: only if you said you are suing back, Vera checked it and filled the amount and why, with the date it arose if you gave it; it is only for $5,000 or less. Add any other plaintiff in the table. Part 3: check whether you will use an expert witness; Vera does not (the form).
    • If you file a counterclaim you give up your right to appeal on it (Part 5 of the form; D.C.R.S.C.P. 7.01). On the plaintiff's claim, you may appeal an adverse decision within two days, not counting weekends and legal holidays (D.C.R.S.C.P. 7.01).
    • Sign and date Part 6, and complete the Certificate of Service in Part 7 with how you sent a copy to the plaintiff or the plaintiff's lawyer (the form). Vera never signs or dates a form.
    • Mail one copy of pages 3 to 6 to the plaintiff or the plaintiff's lawyer, and file pages 3 to 6 with the Clerk of the District Court, Small Claims Division, electronically, by mail, or in person (the form, "What to do Next?"). Self-represented litigants may file electronically but are not required to (D.C.R.S.C.P. 1.02). The court rejects documents filed electronically "in a fillable portable document format (PDF)" (D.C.R.S.C.P. 1.06(G)): print the pages, or file them on paper at the clerk's office.
    • When you answer on time, the court refers the case to mediation; contact the mediator by the date in the court's notice. If mediation fails, the court sends a hearing notice with a trial date. If you do not go to the trial, the court can enter a judgment by default (the form, Steps 5 and 6).
    • A person needs no lawyer (D.C.R.S.C.P. 3.01). The owner or a partner may represent an unincorporated business. A plaintiff corporation (including an LLC or LLP) needs a lawyer unless it has assets under $1,000,000, is a close corporation, and an officer designates a representative by an affidavit of designation attached to the complaint; "A defendant corporation must be represented by an attorney, no exceptions" (D.C.R.S.C.P. 3.02, 3.03; R.I. Gen. Laws § 10-16-3.1). The court's forms library has no affidavit of designation form.

Checked against the court's own forms and rules. Courts change forms; check with the clerk before you file. This page is general information, not legal advice.