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← Rhode Island Family Court Juvenile Proceedings

Part I — SCOPE OF RULES

1 Scope of Rules and Mandatory Electronic Filing

Part II — DELINQUENCY AND WAYWARDNESS

2 Petition
3 Intake Procedure
4 Informal Adjustment Procedure
5 Filing of Petition: Amendment
6 Summons
7 Release of Child Under Custody of the Court
8 Detention Prior to Adjudication D
9 Arraignment; Adjudicatory Hearing
10 Discovery
11 Disposition
12 Waiver or Certification — Juvenile Drug Offenders
13 Waiver Hearing
14 Certification Hearing D

Part III — DEPENDENCY, NEGLECT, ABUSE, TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS

15 Dependency, Neglect, or Abuse
16 Summons Upon Petition
17 Putative Father
18 Preliminary Proceedings D
19 Role of the Guardian Ad Litem of the Child
20 Probable Cause Hearing
21 Discovery
22 Trial on the Merits; Disposition D
23 Permanency Hearings
24 Involuntary Termination of Parental Rights D
25 Voluntary Termination of Parental Rights D
26 Mediation of Parental Rights
27 Legal Guardianship
28 Petition for Voluntary Placement
29 Election to Remain in Placement as a Young Adult

Part IV — ADOPTION

30 Petition
31 Supporting Documentation D
32 Service on Parents
33 Claim of Right
34 Failure to Appear
35 Consent to Adoption
36 Adoption by Step Parent; Grandparent
37 Home Study and Report on Adoptive Home; Criminal Records Check
38 Judgment or Decree of Adoption
39 Judgment or Decree of Open Adoption
40 Challenge to Adoption Judgment or Decree D

Part V — GENERAL PROVISIONS

41 Pretrial Conferences and Procedure
42 Proof of Official Record
43 In Camera Testimony of a Child
44 Expert Witnesses
45 Interpreters
46 Out-of-State Counsel
47 Time D
48 Motions
49 Dismissal
50 Service and Filing of Papers
51 Subpoena D
52 Appeals
53 Miscellaneous Matters
54 Exceptions Unnecessary
55 Harmless Error
56 Regulation of Conduct in the Courtroom
57 Records
58 Rules of Practice and Orders
59 Jurisdiction and Venue Unaffected
60 Effective Date

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Family Court Juvenile Proceedings

Chapter V · GENERAL PROVISIONS

Rule 55. Harmless Error

Amended 2025 (current)

Any error, defect, irregularity, or variance which does not affect substantial rights shall be disregarded.

Source: R.I. Fam. Ct. R. Juv. P. 55 (pdf p. 51)

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