SIMPLIFYING YOUR DIVORCE
Rhode Island Divorce Papers
Filing for divorce in Rhode Island can feel overwhelming, especially when you're staring down a stack of forms with unfamiliar names and code numbers. The good news: Rhode Island uses a single set of statewide standardized forms published by the RI Judiciary, so you're not hunting for different paperwork in every county. This guide walks you through the main forms used in a Rhode Island divorce, what each one does, where to find them, and how the process generally unfolds.
Rhode Island also does a few things differently than other states, including a two-track scheduling system and a two-step finalization process where you are not officially divorced the day a judge grants it. We'll explain those quirks in plain language so nothing catches you off guard.
Think of this as a friendly map, not a substitute for legal counsel. Everyone's situation is different, and the right path for you depends on your specific facts. For advice on your specific situation, consult an attorney.
Which Rhode Island Divorce Forms Will You Need?
The exact forms you'll use depend on whether you have minor children, whether you and your spouse agree on the terms, and which legal ground your case is based on. Below are the core forms used in Rhode Island Family Court, grouped by what they accomplish. Rhode Island publishes these as statewide standardized forms, so they aren't county-specific, even though there are four courthouse locations serving Providence/Bristol, Kent, Washington, and Newport counties.
Starting the Case
Complaint for Divorce or Divorce from Bed and Board (FC-56)
This form initiates the divorce action. The plaintiff designates whether the case is on the nominal or contested track, states the grounds, and lists the relief requested. It must be notarized.
Family Court Cover Sheet (FC-75)
This is the required filing cover sheet for all Family Court case-initiating documents under the electronic filing system.
Complaint for Separate Maintenance Without Commencement of Divorce Proceedings
This form is used when a spouse seeks financial support and legal separation without dissolving the marriage bond.
Responding to the Case
In Rhode Island, the Answer and any Counterclaim are not separate numbered forms in the official appendix. The Answer is a pleading prepared by an attorney or a self-represented litigant in response to the Complaint. If you're responding to a divorce, this is the document that lets you state your position and raise any claims of your own. For help preparing a response that fits your circumstances, consult an attorney.
Financial and Disclosure Forms
Statement of Assets, Liabilities, Income, and Expenses (DR-6 Financial Statement)
This is a mandatory financial disclosure filed by both parties with the Complaint, Answer, or Counterclaim. It covers income, expenses, assets, and debts. Note that the DR-6 is available as an Excel spreadsheet from the court website rather than a simple fill-in PDF.
Family Court Affidavit (FC-48)
This is a general affidavit form used to support motions and other filings in Family Court proceedings.
Forms for Divorces With Children
Statement Listing Children
This attachment to the Complaint lists all minor children of the parties and is used whenever children are involved.
Child Support Guidelines Worksheet (FC-78)
This worksheet is used when minor children are involved. It calculates child support under Rhode Island guidelines and is filed with the Complaint and at hearing. Rhode Island computes child support through this worksheet applying state guidelines, not a fixed dollar schedule.
Uniform Child Custody Act Registration Form
This form is used to disclose any other pending or prior custody proceedings in any jurisdiction, in compliance with the UCCJEA. Note that custody and parenting arrangements themselves are typically addressed in the Stipulation or by court order rather than on a separate numbered parenting-plan form.
Settlement or Separation Agreement
Stipulation
This is a written agreement between the parties on resolved issues such as property division, custody, support, and alimony. Once approved, it is incorporated into the final judgment.
Finalizing Your Case
Family Court Decision Pending Entry of Final Judgment (FC-45)
The court issues this at the hearing when the divorce is granted. It records the findings of fact, and importantly, the parties remain legally married until the Final Judgment enters. It must be filed within 30 days of the decision date.
Family Court Final Judgment (FC-44)
This is the document that makes the divorce legally final. It cannot be filed until three months after the decision date (the nisi period) and must be filed within 270 days, or the case may require an additional motion.
Final Judgment — Living Separate and Apart
This is an alternative final judgment form used when the divorce is granted on the ground of living separate and apart for three or more years. With this ground, the nisi period is 20 days instead of three months. No specific FC number has been confirmed from official sources for this variant; it appears in the appendix of rules without an FC number.
Where to Get Rhode Island Divorce Forms
You have several options for obtaining the forms, depending on how much support you want along the way.
Official Rhode Island Courts Website
The RI Judiciary publishes the official statewide forms. You can search and download them directly at the Rhode Island Judiciary forms search page. Because forms are standardized statewide, the same documents apply at every courthouse.
Family Court and Courthouse Locations
Rhode Island Family Court operates four courthouse locations covering Providence/Bristol, Kent, Washington, and Newport counties. Court staff can point you to where documents are filed, though they cannot give legal advice. Electronic filing through the Rhode Island Judiciary EFS is mandatory for represented parties; self-represented litigants may e-file but are not required to.
Legal Aid and Self-Help Resources
Rhode Island offers a Guide and File online self-help tool for generating finalization documents, available at rhodeisland.tylertech.cloud/SRL. Legal aid organizations may also assist people who qualify based on income.
Online Divorce Services
If you'd rather not assemble everything yourself, an online service can prepare your Rhode Island forms based on your answers to a guided questionnaire. Divorce.com walks you through the process step by step and helps you produce completed paperwork, which can be especially helpful for an uncontested case where both spouses agree on the terms.
Hire an Attorney
For contested cases, complex assets, or contested custody, working with an attorney can be invaluable. An attorney can prepare your pleadings, advise you on strategy, and represent you in court. For advice on your specific situation, consult an attorney.
The Rhode Island Divorce Process
While every case is unique, most Rhode Island divorces follow a similar arc.
1. Confirm Residency
At least one spouse must be a domiciled inhabitant of Rhode Island and have resided in the state for more than one year immediately before filing, under R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-5-12.
2. File the Complaint
The plaintiff files the notarized Complaint for Divorce (FC-56) along with the Family Court Cover Sheet (FC-75) and, where applicable, the financial and children's forms. At filing, the plaintiff designates the nominal or contested track.
3. Serve Your Spouse
The other spouse must be properly notified of the action so they have the chance to respond. This is a procedural requirement in every case.
4. Exchange Financial Disclosures
Both parties file the DR-6 Financial Statement disclosing income, expenses, assets, and debts. When children are involved, the FC-78 Child Support Guidelines Worksheet is also used.
5. Attend the Hearing and Observe the Waiting Period
Nominal-track hearings are typically set about 65 days after filing, while contested-track hearings are generally set about 13 to 16 weeks out. A nominal-track case auto-converts to contested if it isn't resolved by the nominal hearing date. When the divorce is granted, the court issues the Decision Pending Entry of Final Judgment (FC-45). At this point you are not yet divorced. A three-month (90-day) nisi period follows before the Final Judgment can be entered. If the ground is living separate and apart for three or more years, the nisi period is only 20 days.
6. Enter the Final Judgment and Get Certified Copies
The Final Judgment (FC-44) is filed after the nisi period and must be entered within 270 days of the decision, or written consent or a motion may be required. Once it enters, the divorce is legally final, and you can request certified copies for your records.
Rhode Island-Specific Requirements You Should Know
Residency: At least one spouse must be a domiciled inhabitant of Rhode Island and have resided in the state for more than one year immediately before filing (R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-5-12).
Property division: Rhode Island is an equitable distribution state, meaning marital property is divided fairly, which is not always equally, rather than split automatically down the middle.
Grounds: Rhode Island allows a no-fault ground of irreconcilable differences causing the irremediable breakdown of the marriage (§ 15-5-3.1). Fault grounds under § 15-5-2 include impotency, adultery, extreme cruelty, willful desertion for five years (or a shorter period at the court's discretion), continued drunkenness, the habitual, excessive, and intemperate use of opium, morphine, or chloral, neglect or refusal to provide support for at least one year, and gross misbehavior and wickedness repugnant to the marriage covenant. There is also a separate ground of living separate and apart for three or more years (§ 15-5-3), which shortens the post-decision nisi period.
Waiting period: Rhode Island uses a three-month (90-day) nisi period between the Decision Pending Entry of Final Judgment and the Final Judgment. The exception is the living separate and apart ground, where the nisi period is just 20 days. The Final Judgment must be entered within 270 days of the decision, or written consent or a motion is required.
Two-track and two-step systems: Plaintiffs choose either the Nominal Track or the Contested Track at filing, and the state finalizes divorces in two steps (FC-45 decision, then FC-44 final judgment). There is no mandatory statewide parenting class requirement, though individual courts may order one.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Assuming You're Divorced at the Hearing
Because of the two-step process, the Decision Pending Entry of Final Judgment (FC-45) does not end the marriage. The parties remain legally married until the Final Judgment (FC-44) enters after the nisi period.
Missing the Filing Deadlines
The FC-45 must be filed within 30 days of the decision, and the FC-44 must be entered within 270 days, or additional steps may be needed.
Treating the DR-6 as a Simple PDF
The DR-6 Financial Statement is provided as an Excel spreadsheet, not a basic fill-in PDF, so plan for that format when preparing your disclosures.
Overlooking Children's Forms
When minor children are involved, the Statement Listing Children, the FC-78 worksheet, and the Uniform Child Custody Act Registration Form all come into play.
Picking the Wrong Track
A nominal-track case auto-converts to contested if it isn't resolved by the nominal hearing date, which can affect your timeline.
How Divorce.com Can Help
If you want a clear, guided path through Rhode Island's paperwork without the guesswork, Divorce.com can help you prepare your forms based on a simple questionnaire, so you spend less time decoding form numbers and more time moving forward. Here's what you get:
A guided questionnaire that fills out your Rhode Island forms based on your answers
Completed, court-ready paperwork using the correct statewide forms
Step-by-step instructions for filing and finalizing
A more affordable option than full attorney representation for uncontested cases
Support along the way so you're never stuck wondering what comes next
Which Rhode Island Divorce Forms Will You Need?
The exact forms you'll use depend on whether you have minor children, whether you and your spouse agree on the terms, and which legal ground your case is based on. Below are the core forms used in Rhode Island Family Court, grouped by what they accomplish. Rhode Island publishes these as statewide standardized forms, so they aren't county-specific, even though there are four courthouse locations serving Providence/Bristol, Kent, Washington, and Newport counties.
Starting the Case
Complaint for Divorce or Divorce from Bed and Board (FC-56)
This form initiates the divorce action. The plaintiff designates whether the case is on the nominal or contested track, states the grounds, and lists the relief requested. It must be notarized.
Family Court Cover Sheet (FC-75)
This is the required filing cover sheet for all Family Court case-initiating documents under the electronic filing system.
Complaint for Separate Maintenance Without Commencement of Divorce Proceedings
This form is used when a spouse seeks financial support and legal separation without dissolving the marriage bond.
Responding to the Case
In Rhode Island, the Answer and any Counterclaim are not separate numbered forms in the official appendix. The Answer is a pleading prepared by an attorney or a self-represented litigant in response to the Complaint. If you're responding to a divorce, this is the document that lets you state your position and raise any claims of your own. For help preparing a response that fits your circumstances, consult an attorney.
Financial and Disclosure Forms
Statement of Assets, Liabilities, Income, and Expenses (DR-6 Financial Statement)
This is a mandatory financial disclosure filed by both parties with the Complaint, Answer, or Counterclaim. It covers income, expenses, assets, and debts. Note that the DR-6 is available as an Excel spreadsheet from the court website rather than a simple fill-in PDF.
Family Court Affidavit (FC-48)
This is a general affidavit form used to support motions and other filings in Family Court proceedings.
Forms for Divorces With Children
Statement Listing Children
This attachment to the Complaint lists all minor children of the parties and is used whenever children are involved.
Child Support Guidelines Worksheet (FC-78)
This worksheet is used when minor children are involved. It calculates child support under Rhode Island guidelines and is filed with the Complaint and at hearing. Rhode Island computes child support through this worksheet applying state guidelines, not a fixed dollar schedule.
Uniform Child Custody Act Registration Form
This form is used to disclose any other pending or prior custody proceedings in any jurisdiction, in compliance with the UCCJEA. Note that custody and parenting arrangements themselves are typically addressed in the Stipulation or by court order rather than on a separate numbered parenting-plan form.
Settlement or Separation Agreement
Stipulation
This is a written agreement between the parties on resolved issues such as property division, custody, support, and alimony. Once approved, it is incorporated into the final judgment.
Finalizing Your Case
Family Court Decision Pending Entry of Final Judgment (FC-45)
The court issues this at the hearing when the divorce is granted. It records the findings of fact, and importantly, the parties remain legally married until the Final Judgment enters. It must be filed within 30 days of the decision date.
Family Court Final Judgment (FC-44)
This is the document that makes the divorce legally final. It cannot be filed until three months after the decision date (the nisi period) and must be filed within 270 days, or the case may require an additional motion.
Final Judgment — Living Separate and Apart
This is an alternative final judgment form used when the divorce is granted on the ground of living separate and apart for three or more years. With this ground, the nisi period is 20 days instead of three months. No specific FC number has been confirmed from official sources for this variant; it appears in the appendix of rules without an FC number.
Where to Get Rhode Island Divorce Forms
You have several options for obtaining the forms, depending on how much support you want along the way.
Official Rhode Island Courts Website
The RI Judiciary publishes the official statewide forms. You can search and download them directly at the Rhode Island Judiciary forms search page. Because forms are standardized statewide, the same documents apply at every courthouse.
Family Court and Courthouse Locations
Rhode Island Family Court operates four courthouse locations covering Providence/Bristol, Kent, Washington, and Newport counties. Court staff can point you to where documents are filed, though they cannot give legal advice. Electronic filing through the Rhode Island Judiciary EFS is mandatory for represented parties; self-represented litigants may e-file but are not required to.
Legal Aid and Self-Help Resources
Rhode Island offers a Guide and File online self-help tool for generating finalization documents, available at rhodeisland.tylertech.cloud/SRL. Legal aid organizations may also assist people who qualify based on income.
Online Divorce Services
If you'd rather not assemble everything yourself, an online service can prepare your Rhode Island forms based on your answers to a guided questionnaire. Divorce.com walks you through the process step by step and helps you produce completed paperwork, which can be especially helpful for an uncontested case where both spouses agree on the terms.
Hire an Attorney
For contested cases, complex assets, or contested custody, working with an attorney can be invaluable. An attorney can prepare your pleadings, advise you on strategy, and represent you in court. For advice on your specific situation, consult an attorney.
The Rhode Island Divorce Process
While every case is unique, most Rhode Island divorces follow a similar arc.
1. Confirm Residency
At least one spouse must be a domiciled inhabitant of Rhode Island and have resided in the state for more than one year immediately before filing, under R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-5-12.
2. File the Complaint
The plaintiff files the notarized Complaint for Divorce (FC-56) along with the Family Court Cover Sheet (FC-75) and, where applicable, the financial and children's forms. At filing, the plaintiff designates the nominal or contested track.
3. Serve Your Spouse
The other spouse must be properly notified of the action so they have the chance to respond. This is a procedural requirement in every case.
4. Exchange Financial Disclosures
Both parties file the DR-6 Financial Statement disclosing income, expenses, assets, and debts. When children are involved, the FC-78 Child Support Guidelines Worksheet is also used.
5. Attend the Hearing and Observe the Waiting Period
Nominal-track hearings are typically set about 65 days after filing, while contested-track hearings are generally set about 13 to 16 weeks out. A nominal-track case auto-converts to contested if it isn't resolved by the nominal hearing date. When the divorce is granted, the court issues the Decision Pending Entry of Final Judgment (FC-45). At this point you are not yet divorced. A three-month (90-day) nisi period follows before the Final Judgment can be entered. If the ground is living separate and apart for three or more years, the nisi period is only 20 days.
6. Enter the Final Judgment and Get Certified Copies
The Final Judgment (FC-44) is filed after the nisi period and must be entered within 270 days of the decision, or written consent or a motion may be required. Once it enters, the divorce is legally final, and you can request certified copies for your records.
Rhode Island-Specific Requirements You Should Know
Residency: At least one spouse must be a domiciled inhabitant of Rhode Island and have resided in the state for more than one year immediately before filing (R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-5-12).
Property division: Rhode Island is an equitable distribution state, meaning marital property is divided fairly, which is not always equally, rather than split automatically down the middle.
Grounds: Rhode Island allows a no-fault ground of irreconcilable differences causing the irremediable breakdown of the marriage (§ 15-5-3.1). Fault grounds under § 15-5-2 include impotency, adultery, extreme cruelty, willful desertion for five years (or a shorter period at the court's discretion), continued drunkenness, the habitual, excessive, and intemperate use of opium, morphine, or chloral, neglect or refusal to provide support for at least one year, and gross misbehavior and wickedness repugnant to the marriage covenant. There is also a separate ground of living separate and apart for three or more years (§ 15-5-3), which shortens the post-decision nisi period.
Waiting period: Rhode Island uses a three-month (90-day) nisi period between the Decision Pending Entry of Final Judgment and the Final Judgment. The exception is the living separate and apart ground, where the nisi period is just 20 days. The Final Judgment must be entered within 270 days of the decision, or written consent or a motion is required.
Two-track and two-step systems: Plaintiffs choose either the Nominal Track or the Contested Track at filing, and the state finalizes divorces in two steps (FC-45 decision, then FC-44 final judgment). There is no mandatory statewide parenting class requirement, though individual courts may order one.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Assuming You're Divorced at the Hearing
Because of the two-step process, the Decision Pending Entry of Final Judgment (FC-45) does not end the marriage. The parties remain legally married until the Final Judgment (FC-44) enters after the nisi period.
Missing the Filing Deadlines
The FC-45 must be filed within 30 days of the decision, and the FC-44 must be entered within 270 days, or additional steps may be needed.
Treating the DR-6 as a Simple PDF
The DR-6 Financial Statement is provided as an Excel spreadsheet, not a basic fill-in PDF, so plan for that format when preparing your disclosures.
Overlooking Children's Forms
When minor children are involved, the Statement Listing Children, the FC-78 worksheet, and the Uniform Child Custody Act Registration Form all come into play.
Picking the Wrong Track
A nominal-track case auto-converts to contested if it isn't resolved by the nominal hearing date, which can affect your timeline.
How Divorce.com Can Help
If you want a clear, guided path through Rhode Island's paperwork without the guesswork, Divorce.com can help you prepare your forms based on a simple questionnaire, so you spend less time decoding form numbers and more time moving forward. Here's what you get:
A guided questionnaire that fills out your Rhode Island forms based on your answers
Completed, court-ready paperwork using the correct statewide forms
Step-by-step instructions for filing and finalizing
A more affordable option than full attorney representation for uncontested cases
Support along the way so you're never stuck wondering what comes next
Which Rhode Island Divorce Forms Will You Need?
The exact forms you'll use depend on whether you have minor children, whether you and your spouse agree on the terms, and which legal ground your case is based on. Below are the core forms used in Rhode Island Family Court, grouped by what they accomplish. Rhode Island publishes these as statewide standardized forms, so they aren't county-specific, even though there are four courthouse locations serving Providence/Bristol, Kent, Washington, and Newport counties.
Starting the Case
Complaint for Divorce or Divorce from Bed and Board (FC-56)
This form initiates the divorce action. The plaintiff designates whether the case is on the nominal or contested track, states the grounds, and lists the relief requested. It must be notarized.
Family Court Cover Sheet (FC-75)
This is the required filing cover sheet for all Family Court case-initiating documents under the electronic filing system.
Complaint for Separate Maintenance Without Commencement of Divorce Proceedings
This form is used when a spouse seeks financial support and legal separation without dissolving the marriage bond.
Responding to the Case
In Rhode Island, the Answer and any Counterclaim are not separate numbered forms in the official appendix. The Answer is a pleading prepared by an attorney or a self-represented litigant in response to the Complaint. If you're responding to a divorce, this is the document that lets you state your position and raise any claims of your own. For help preparing a response that fits your circumstances, consult an attorney.
Financial and Disclosure Forms
Statement of Assets, Liabilities, Income, and Expenses (DR-6 Financial Statement)
This is a mandatory financial disclosure filed by both parties with the Complaint, Answer, or Counterclaim. It covers income, expenses, assets, and debts. Note that the DR-6 is available as an Excel spreadsheet from the court website rather than a simple fill-in PDF.
Family Court Affidavit (FC-48)
This is a general affidavit form used to support motions and other filings in Family Court proceedings.
Forms for Divorces With Children
Statement Listing Children
This attachment to the Complaint lists all minor children of the parties and is used whenever children are involved.
Child Support Guidelines Worksheet (FC-78)
This worksheet is used when minor children are involved. It calculates child support under Rhode Island guidelines and is filed with the Complaint and at hearing. Rhode Island computes child support through this worksheet applying state guidelines, not a fixed dollar schedule.
Uniform Child Custody Act Registration Form
This form is used to disclose any other pending or prior custody proceedings in any jurisdiction, in compliance with the UCCJEA. Note that custody and parenting arrangements themselves are typically addressed in the Stipulation or by court order rather than on a separate numbered parenting-plan form.
Settlement or Separation Agreement
Stipulation
This is a written agreement between the parties on resolved issues such as property division, custody, support, and alimony. Once approved, it is incorporated into the final judgment.
Finalizing Your Case
Family Court Decision Pending Entry of Final Judgment (FC-45)
The court issues this at the hearing when the divorce is granted. It records the findings of fact, and importantly, the parties remain legally married until the Final Judgment enters. It must be filed within 30 days of the decision date.
Family Court Final Judgment (FC-44)
This is the document that makes the divorce legally final. It cannot be filed until three months after the decision date (the nisi period) and must be filed within 270 days, or the case may require an additional motion.
Final Judgment — Living Separate and Apart
This is an alternative final judgment form used when the divorce is granted on the ground of living separate and apart for three or more years. With this ground, the nisi period is 20 days instead of three months. No specific FC number has been confirmed from official sources for this variant; it appears in the appendix of rules without an FC number.
Where to Get Rhode Island Divorce Forms
You have several options for obtaining the forms, depending on how much support you want along the way.
Official Rhode Island Courts Website
The RI Judiciary publishes the official statewide forms. You can search and download them directly at the Rhode Island Judiciary forms search page. Because forms are standardized statewide, the same documents apply at every courthouse.
Family Court and Courthouse Locations
Rhode Island Family Court operates four courthouse locations covering Providence/Bristol, Kent, Washington, and Newport counties. Court staff can point you to where documents are filed, though they cannot give legal advice. Electronic filing through the Rhode Island Judiciary EFS is mandatory for represented parties; self-represented litigants may e-file but are not required to.
Legal Aid and Self-Help Resources
Rhode Island offers a Guide and File online self-help tool for generating finalization documents, available at rhodeisland.tylertech.cloud/SRL. Legal aid organizations may also assist people who qualify based on income.
Online Divorce Services
If you'd rather not assemble everything yourself, an online service can prepare your Rhode Island forms based on your answers to a guided questionnaire. Divorce.com walks you through the process step by step and helps you produce completed paperwork, which can be especially helpful for an uncontested case where both spouses agree on the terms.
Hire an Attorney
For contested cases, complex assets, or contested custody, working with an attorney can be invaluable. An attorney can prepare your pleadings, advise you on strategy, and represent you in court. For advice on your specific situation, consult an attorney.
The Rhode Island Divorce Process
While every case is unique, most Rhode Island divorces follow a similar arc.
1. Confirm Residency
At least one spouse must be a domiciled inhabitant of Rhode Island and have resided in the state for more than one year immediately before filing, under R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-5-12.
2. File the Complaint
The plaintiff files the notarized Complaint for Divorce (FC-56) along with the Family Court Cover Sheet (FC-75) and, where applicable, the financial and children's forms. At filing, the plaintiff designates the nominal or contested track.
3. Serve Your Spouse
The other spouse must be properly notified of the action so they have the chance to respond. This is a procedural requirement in every case.
4. Exchange Financial Disclosures
Both parties file the DR-6 Financial Statement disclosing income, expenses, assets, and debts. When children are involved, the FC-78 Child Support Guidelines Worksheet is also used.
5. Attend the Hearing and Observe the Waiting Period
Nominal-track hearings are typically set about 65 days after filing, while contested-track hearings are generally set about 13 to 16 weeks out. A nominal-track case auto-converts to contested if it isn't resolved by the nominal hearing date. When the divorce is granted, the court issues the Decision Pending Entry of Final Judgment (FC-45). At this point you are not yet divorced. A three-month (90-day) nisi period follows before the Final Judgment can be entered. If the ground is living separate and apart for three or more years, the nisi period is only 20 days.
6. Enter the Final Judgment and Get Certified Copies
The Final Judgment (FC-44) is filed after the nisi period and must be entered within 270 days of the decision, or written consent or a motion may be required. Once it enters, the divorce is legally final, and you can request certified copies for your records.
Rhode Island-Specific Requirements You Should Know
Residency: At least one spouse must be a domiciled inhabitant of Rhode Island and have resided in the state for more than one year immediately before filing (R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-5-12).
Property division: Rhode Island is an equitable distribution state, meaning marital property is divided fairly, which is not always equally, rather than split automatically down the middle.
Grounds: Rhode Island allows a no-fault ground of irreconcilable differences causing the irremediable breakdown of the marriage (§ 15-5-3.1). Fault grounds under § 15-5-2 include impotency, adultery, extreme cruelty, willful desertion for five years (or a shorter period at the court's discretion), continued drunkenness, the habitual, excessive, and intemperate use of opium, morphine, or chloral, neglect or refusal to provide support for at least one year, and gross misbehavior and wickedness repugnant to the marriage covenant. There is also a separate ground of living separate and apart for three or more years (§ 15-5-3), which shortens the post-decision nisi period.
Waiting period: Rhode Island uses a three-month (90-day) nisi period between the Decision Pending Entry of Final Judgment and the Final Judgment. The exception is the living separate and apart ground, where the nisi period is just 20 days. The Final Judgment must be entered within 270 days of the decision, or written consent or a motion is required.
Two-track and two-step systems: Plaintiffs choose either the Nominal Track or the Contested Track at filing, and the state finalizes divorces in two steps (FC-45 decision, then FC-44 final judgment). There is no mandatory statewide parenting class requirement, though individual courts may order one.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Assuming You're Divorced at the Hearing
Because of the two-step process, the Decision Pending Entry of Final Judgment (FC-45) does not end the marriage. The parties remain legally married until the Final Judgment (FC-44) enters after the nisi period.
Missing the Filing Deadlines
The FC-45 must be filed within 30 days of the decision, and the FC-44 must be entered within 270 days, or additional steps may be needed.
Treating the DR-6 as a Simple PDF
The DR-6 Financial Statement is provided as an Excel spreadsheet, not a basic fill-in PDF, so plan for that format when preparing your disclosures.
Overlooking Children's Forms
When minor children are involved, the Statement Listing Children, the FC-78 worksheet, and the Uniform Child Custody Act Registration Form all come into play.
Picking the Wrong Track
A nominal-track case auto-converts to contested if it isn't resolved by the nominal hearing date, which can affect your timeline.
How Divorce.com Can Help
If you want a clear, guided path through Rhode Island's paperwork without the guesswork, Divorce.com can help you prepare your forms based on a simple questionnaire, so you spend less time decoding form numbers and more time moving forward. Here's what you get:
A guided questionnaire that fills out your Rhode Island forms based on your answers
Completed, court-ready paperwork using the correct statewide forms
Step-by-step instructions for filing and finalizing
A more affordable option than full attorney representation for uncontested cases
Support along the way so you're never stuck wondering what comes next
Filing for divorce in Rhode Island can feel overwhelming, especially when you're staring down a stack of forms with unfamiliar names and code numbers. The good news: Rhode Island uses a single set of statewide standardized forms published by the RI Judiciary, so you're not hunting for different paperwork in every county. This guide walks you through the main forms used in a Rhode Island divorce, what each one does, where to find them, and how the process generally unfolds.
Rhode Island also does a few things differently than other states, including a two-track scheduling system and a two-step finalization process where you are not officially divorced the day a judge grants it. We'll explain those quirks in plain language so nothing catches you off guard.
Think of this as a friendly map, not a substitute for legal counsel. Everyone's situation is different, and the right path for you depends on your specific facts. For advice on your specific situation, consult an attorney.
The Bottom Line
Rhode Island keeps its divorce forms standardized statewide, so whether you file in Providence, Warwick, Newport, or Cranston, you'll be working with the same core documents: the FC-56 Complaint, the DR-6 Financial Statement, and, for finalizing, the FC-45 decision followed by the FC-44 Final Judgment. The two big things to remember are that you're not divorced until the Final Judgment enters after the nisi period, and that the state uses a two-track scheduling system.
You can download the official forms anytime from the Rhode Island Judiciary forms search page. If you'd prefer a guided, done-with-you experience, Divorce.com can prepare your paperwork and walk you through each step.
This guide is informational and not legal advice. For advice on your specific situation, consult an attorney.
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