RI · rules
R.I. R. Juv. P. 10
Discovery
(a) Availability. Every petition submitted by the petitioner
shall have supporting documents attached. The reports or documents shall be
available to the respondent or the respondent's attorney of record for inspection and
copying.
(b) Discovery by the Respondent. Upon written request by a respondent, the
attorney for the petitioner shall permit the respondent to inspect or listen to and copy
or photograph any of the following items within the possession, custody, or control
of the petitioner, the existence of which is known, or by the exercise of due diligence
may become known to the attorney for the petitioner:
(1) All relevant written or recorded statements or confessions, signed or
unsigned, or written summaries of oral statements or confessions made by the
respondent, or copies thereof;
(2) All written or recorded statements or confessions which were by made by a
co-respondent who is to be tried together with the moving respondent and which the
petitioner intends to offer in evidence at the trial, and written summaries of oral
statements or confessions of such a co-respondent in the event the petitioner intends
at the trial to offer evidence of such oral statements or confessions;
(3) All books, papers, documents, photographs, audio recordings, images, and
any other data or data compilations from which discoverable information can be
perceived, or copies thereof, or tangible objects, buildings, or places which are
intended for use by the petitioner as evidence at the trial or were obtained from or
belong to the respondent;
(4) All results or reports in writing, or copies thereof, of physical or mental
examinations, and of scientific tests or experiments made in connection with the
particular case and, subject to an appropriate protective order under subdivision (g),
any tangible objects still in existence that were the subject of such tests or
experiments;
(5) A written summary of testimony that the petitioner intends to use under Rules
702, 703, or 705 of the Rhode Island Rules of Evidence during the petitioner's case-in-chief at trial, which testimony describes the witness' opinions, the bases and
reasons for those opinions, and the witnesses' qualifications;
(6) A written list of the names and addresses of all persons whom the petitioner
expects to call as witnesses at the trial in support of the petitioner's direct case;
(7) As to those persons whom the petitioner expects to call as witnesses at the
trial, all relevant recorded testimony before a grand jury of such persons and all
written or recorded verbatim statements, signed or unsigned, of such persons and, if
no such testimony or statement of a witness is in the possession of the petitioner, a
summary of the testimony such person is expected to give at the trial;
(8) All reports or records of prior convictions of the respondent, or of persons
whom the attorney for the petitioner expects to call as witnesses at the trial, and
within fifteen (15) days after receipt from the respondent of a list produced pursuant
to subdivision (b)(2) of persons whom the respondent expects to call as witnesses,
all reports of records or prior convictions of such persons; and
(9) All warrants which have been executed in connection with the particular case
and the papers accompanying them, including affidavits, transcripts of oral
testimony, returns, and inventories.
(c) Discovery by the Petitioner. A respondent who seeks any discovery under
subdivision (b) of this rule shall permit the petitioner, upon receipt of a written
request, to inspect or listen to and copy or photograph any of the following items
within the possession, custody, or control of the respondent or the respondent's
attorney.
(1) All books, papers, documents, photographs, audio recordings, images, and
any other data or data compilations from which discoverable information can be
perceived, or copies thereof, or tangible objects, buildings, or places which are
intended for use by the respondent as evidence at the trial;
(2) All results or reports in writing, or copies thereof, of physical or mental
examinations, and of scientific tests or experiments made in connection with the
particular case and prepared by a person whom the respondent intends to call as a
witness at the trial and, subject to an appropriate protective order under subdivision
(g), any tangible objects still in existence that were the subject of such tests or
experiments;
(3) A written summary of testimony that the respondent intends to use under
Rules 702, 703, or 705 of the Rhode Island Rules of Evidence as evidence at trial,
which summary describes the witness' opinions, the bases and reasons for those
opinions, and the witness' qualifications;
(4) A written list of the names and addresses of all persons other than the
respondent whom the respondent expects to call as witnesses at the trial in the event
the petitioner presents a prima facie case; and
(5) As to those persons other than the respondent whom the respondent expects
to call as witnesses at the trial, all written or recorded verbatim statements, signed
or unsigned, of such persons and, if no such statement of a witness is in the
possession of the respondent, a summary of the testimony such person is expected
to give at the trial.
(d) Notice of Alibi. In the event a respondent seeks any discovery under
subdivision (b) of this rule, then upon demand by the attorney for the petitioner and
delivery by the attorney for the petitioner to the respondent of a written statement
describing with specificity the date and time when and the place where the offense
charged is alleged to have occurred, the respondent, within twenty-one (21) days
after receipt of such demand and particulars, shall give written notification whether
the respondent intends to rely in any way on the defense of alibi. If the respondent
does so intend, the notice shall state with specificity the place at which the
respondent claims to have been at the time of the alleged offense and the names and
addresses of the witnesses the respondent intends to call at the trial to establish such
alibi. Within twenty-one (21) days after receipt of written notification of intent to
rely on the defense of alibi, together with particulars thereof, the attorney for the
petitioner shall furnish to the respondent written notice of the names and addresses
of the witnesses whom the petitioner intends to call at the trial to establish the
respondent's presence at the place where and the time when the offense is alleged to
have occurred.
(e) Material Not Subject to Discovery. Except as provided in subdivisions (b)
and (c), this rule does not authorize discovery of internal reports, memoranda, or
other documents made by a respondent, or the respondent's attorney or agent, or by
the attorney for the petitioner, or by officers or agents of the petitioner, in connection
with or in preparation for the prosecution or defense of the proceeding.
(f) Failure to Call a Witness. The fact that a person was designated by a party
pursuant to subdivision (b)(6) or subdivision (c)(3) as an intended witness but was
not called to testify shall not be commented upon at the trial by any party.
(g) Protective Orders.
(1) Procedure. Upon motion and a sufficient showing the court may at any time
order that the discovery or inspection sought pursuant to this rule be denied,
restricted, or deferred, or make such other order as is appropriate. In determining the
motion, the court may consider, among other things, the following:
(A) Protection of witnesses and others from physical harm, threats of harm,
bribes, economic reprisals, and other intimidation;
(B) Maintenance of such secrecy regarding informants as is required for effective
investigation of criminal activity;
(C) Protection of confidential relationships and privileges recognized by law; and
(D) The need to safeguard from loss or to preserve the condition of tangible
objects sought to be discovered under subsections (b)(4), (b)(5), (c)(1), and (c)(2).
The court may permit a party to make a showing of good cause, in whole or in
part, in the form of a written statement to be inspected by the court alone. If the court
thereafter enters a protective order, the entire text of the party's statement shall be
sealed and preserved in the records of the court, to be made available only to an
appellate court in the event of an appeal.
(2) Deposition. Upon application of a party who has, pursuant to subdivision
(b)(6) or (c)(3), been requested to designate the names of persons who will be called
as witnesses at the trial, the court may order that the testimony of one (1) or more
persons so designated be perpetuated by oral deposition pursuant to the provisions
in Rule 15 of the Rhode Island Family Court Rules of Criminal Procedure, at a time
and place and before an officer ordered by the court. Examination and cross-examination shall proceed as permitted at the trial. A record of the testimony of such
a witness shall be made and shall be admissible at the trial in accordance with the
Rhode Island Rules of Evidence.
(h) Procedure and Timing.
(1) Respondent's Request. A request by a respondent for discovery and inspection
shall be made within thirty (30) days after arraignment. The attorney for the
petitioner shall respond in writing within thirty (30) days after service of the request
stating with respect to each item or category either that discovery and inspection will
be permitted or stating that the request will not or cannot be complied with and the
reason why. The response shall also specify the place and time respondent may
inspect the items being made available.
(2) Petitioner's Request. Together with the filing of the response to respondent's
request for discovery and inspection pursuant to subdivision (b), the attorney for the
petitioner may serve respondent with a request for discovery and inspection. The
respondent shall respond within fifteen (15) days after service of the request stating
with respect to each item or category either that discovery and inspection will be
permitted or stating that the request will not or cannot be complied with and the
reason why. The response shall also specify the place and time the attorney for the
petitioner may inspect the items being made available.
(3) Discovery or Inspection Withheld. In the event a party refuses to comply with
a request for discovery or inspection, the party who served the request may move for
an order to compel compliance with his request.
(4) Extensions of Time. The court may on motion of a party and for good cause
shown extend the time for serving requests or responses permitted or required under
this rule.
(i) Continuing Duty to Disclose. If, subsequent to compliance with a request for
discovery or with an order issued pursuant to this rule, and prior to or during trial, a
party discovers additional material previously requested which is subject to
discovery or inspection under this rule, the party shall promptly notify the other party
of the existence thereof.
(j) Failure to Comply. If at any time during the course of the proceedings a party
has failed to comply with this rule or with an order issued pursuant to this rule, the
court may order such a party to provide the discovery or inspection, grant a
continuance, prohibit the party from introducing in evidence the material which or
testimony of a witness whose identity or statement was not disclosed, or make such
other order as the court deems appropriate. Upon finding a willful failure to comply,
the court may prohibit the offending party from introducing in evidence the material
or the testimony of a witness whose identity or statement was not disclosed.
Provenance
- Source
- courts.ri.gov
- Retrieved
- 2026-09-24
- Edition
- 2026-09-24
- Content hash
585fee6126aa70514649a93a9e37110136130fe03664155466855441d8c90a2f
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