Rhode Island divorce at a glance
Confirm with your county before filing — fees and rules can vary.
Divorce in Rhode Island: the nisi wait
Rhode Island adds a step most states dropped long ago: the nisi period. After the Family Court grants the divorce, a mandatory 90 days must pass before the judgment becomes final — and even then it does not happen automatically. The filer must submit the Decision Pending Entry of Final Judgment paperwork to close the case. Couples using the three-year separate-and-apart ground get a shorter 21-day nisi, but the standard route runs the full 90.
The no-fault ground is irreconcilable differences under R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-5-3.1, used in about 90% of cases. Filing requires one year as a domiciled inhabitant and resident of the state under § 15-5-12, with a military exception and an alternative path keyed to the defendant’s residency. The Complaint for Divorce (Form FC-56) goes to the Family Court, alongside a summons, a verification form, and Form DR-6, the financial statement.
Property is divided equitably, and alimony is called alimony. Child support follows the Rhode Island Child Support Guidelines, and custody is decided under the best interests standard. The filing fee is $120 — among the lowest in New England — and the Family Court’s Guide and File system walks self-represented filers through the paperwork.