Service:

RI does not charge service fees for Orders

The Sheriff’s Department serves Orders in RI

Custody:

RI is party to the UCCJA, the precursor to UCCJEA
Guns:

Officers will confiscate weapons if Ron follows Michelle to RI, if Michelle has a valid protective order from RI and police in RI are notified.

Notification:

If Michele registers an out-of-sate protection order in a RI court, the state would not notify Ron – it is a victim safety issue; such notification would tell the defendant where she is.

Registry:

RI’s database is not accessible by other states.

If Ron follows Michelle to RI, the police will check the registry if she contacts police for help in getting the order enforced; however, she will have to have registered her order through the RI court system for it to be in RONCO

Contact Person:

If the police couldn’t decide whether or not Michelle’s O/P was facially valid, they would contact the home police department; unfortunately, depending on which department and which officer, the burden might be put on Michelle. If a court advocate is involved because the victim went to a shelter/resource agency or was referred to one by the police, the advocate would make the call(s).

Safety Information:

Domestic Violence Hotline: 1.800.494.8100

Michelle would be eligible for emergency shelter with one of RI’s shelter/resource agencies. Emergency assistance will depend upon Michelle’s financial picture. All of this would be handled by the local shelter/resource agency during its assessment and eligibility process.

Definition of Terms:

RI arrest policy applies to “Family or household member,” meaning spouses, former spouses, adult persons related by blood or marriage, adult persons who are presently residing together or who have resided together in the past three (3) years, and persons who have a child in common regardless of whether they have been married or have lived together, or if persons who are or have been in a substantive dating or engagement relationship within the past one (1) year which shall be determined by the court’s consideration of the length of time of the relationship; the type of the relationship; and the frequency of the interaction between the parties.