TITLE 12
Criminal Procedure
CHAPTER 12-3
Jurisdiction and Venue of Offenses
SECTION 12-3-4
§ 12-3-4 Venue of offenses.
(a) Every indictment or information for offenses committed on the waters of
Narragansett Bay may be tried in any county in the discretion of the attorney
general, unless otherwise ordered by the presiding justice.
(b) For the purpose of prosecuting and punishing criminal
offenses over which the superior court has jurisdiction, the state of Rhode
Island is declared to be a single district. The offenses shall be prosecuted
and punished at the following locations unless otherwise ordered by the
presiding justice:
(1) For offenses committed in a city or town within
Providence or Bristol counties, at the superior court in Providence;
(2) For offenses committed in the city of Warwick or a town
within Kent county, at the superior court in Warwick;
(3) For offenses committed in a town within Washington
county, at the superior court in South Kingstown; and
(4) For offenses committed in the city of Newport or a town
within Newport county, at the superior court in Newport.
(c) For the purpose of prosecuting and punishing criminal
offenses over which the district court has jurisdiction, the offenses shall be
prosecuted and punished at the following locations unless otherwise ordered to
be moved within the same county by the chief judge pursuant to this section or
unless otherwise agreed to by the parties and the court: (1) for the offenses
committed in a town within the first division, at the district court located
within Bristol county; (2) for offenses committed in the city of Newport or a
town within the second division, at the district court located within Newport
county; (3) for offenses committed in the cities of Warwick or Cranston or a
town within the third division, at the district court within the third
division; (4) for offenses committed in a town within the fourth division, at
the district court located within Washington county; (5) for offenses committed
in a city or town within the fifth division, at the district court located
within the fifth division; and (6) for offenses committed in a city within the
sixth division, at the district court in Providence. The chief judge may order
any criminal case or proceeding to be transferred to another division of the
court within the same county. For purposes of this section, the first division
shall be considered to be a part of Providence county.
History of Section.
(G.L. 1896, ch. 285, § 8; G.L. 1909, ch. 354, § 8; G.L., ch. 354,
§ 32; P.L. 1915, ch. 1261, § 1; G.L. 1923, ch. 407, § 32; G.L.
1938, ch. 625, § 32; G.L. 1956, § 12-3-4; P.L. 1974, ch. 118, §
10; P.L. 1981, ch. 104, § 1; P.L. 1989, ch. 200, § 1; P.L. 1990, ch.
240, § 2.)
