“Heat-of-Passion” Re-Visited: State v. Mangru Confirms the Sequential-Consideration Rule for Voluntary Manslaughter Instructions in Rhode Island 1. Introduction Case: State v. Andrew Mangru, Nos....
State v. Olayinka Alege: Clarifying the Threshold for Franks Hearings on Arrest Warrants and the Admissibility of Similar-Act Evidence under Rule 404(b) Introduction State v. Olayinka Alege,...
From “Proximate Cause” to “Contributory Nexus”: Shepherd v. Rhode Island State Police and the Re-Calibration of Heart-Attack Disability Pensions 1. Introduction Shepherd v. Rhode Island State Police,...
The Coletta Threshold: Rhode Island Supreme Court Clarifies the Foundation Required to Admit False-Confession Expert Testimony 1. Introduction State v. Joseph Coletta (R.I. Sup. Ct. July 9 2025) is a...
Adverse Possession Uninterrupted by Federal Forfeiture: A Comprehensive Commentary on New Phase Realty, LLC v. Jeremy J. Fournier (R.I. 2025) 1. Introduction In New Phase Realty, LLC v. Fournier, the...
Urbonas v. Gullison: Rhode Island Supreme Court Re-defines the Reach of the Acquiescence Doctrine and Affirms Appellate Re-Characterisation Power 1. Introduction In Kristina Urbonas v. John Gullison,...
Stratoberdha v. Clements Properties, LLC (R.I. 2025) Finality of Un-Appealed Family Court Orders and the Extension of § 9-24-7 Interlocutory-Appeal Rights 1. Introduction Robert and Etleva...
Precision in Objections: State v. Jose Lantigua (R.I. 2025) Establishes a Specificity Requirement for Challenging Expert “Bolstering” Testimony 1. Introduction State v. Lantigua, decided by the Rhode...
Clarifying “Accumulated Depreciation”: Rhode Island Supreme Court Mandates Uniform Financial-Accounting Depreciation for Telecommunications Tangible Personal Property Tax Introduction On 3 July 2025,...
Contractual Examples as Plain-Language Clarifiers: Guilmette v. PHH Mortgage Services (R.I. 2025) 1. Introduction Dino J. Guilmette v. PHH Mortgage Services F/K/A Ocwen Loan Servicing LLC et al....
State v. McLean: Plea-Agreement Waivers of Rule 35 Relief Held Non-Dispositive & High Bar for Judicial Recusal Introduction The Rhode Island Supreme Court’s decision in State v. Andrew McLean,...
State v. Hang – Codefendant Objections and the “Raise-or-Waive” Rule: Rhode Island Supreme Court Clarifies Preservation Requirements 1. Introduction On 2 July 2025 the Rhode Island Supreme Court...
Strategic Delay Is Not Excusable: Rhode Island Supreme Court Fortifies Trial-Court Power to Dismiss Appeals for Intentional Non-Compliance with Transcript Deadlines 1. Introduction The Rhode Island...
Limiting Admissibility of Guardian ad Litem Reports in Termination of Parental Rights Proceedings: Commentary on In re J.R.; In re E.R.; In re A.R.; In re D.R. (R.I. 2025) Introduction On 23 June...
“Aggregation and Judicial Restraint in Parole Matters” How the Rhode Island Supreme Court Clarified Parole Eligibility and Limited Trial-Court Power in Michael Lambert v. Wayne T. Salisbury, Jr....
Reaffirming the “Reasonable – Not Extraordinary – Efforts” Standard in Rhode Island Termination of Parental Rights Cases Commentary on Supreme Court Decision in In re N.O.; In re K.O. (R.I. June 17,...
Seguin v. DHS: APRA Cannot Be Used as Surrogate Discovery in Pending Child-Support Actions Introduction Mary Seguin (“Seguin”), a self-represented litigant, filed an action in the Rhode Island...
Runey v. Faring: Reaffirming Certiorari-Only Review for Denials of Preliminary Injunctions and the Binding Force of Unappealed Judgments Introduction The Rhode Island Supreme Court’s decision in...
State v. Raso: Clarifying § 12-19-18(b)(5) — Rule 48(a) Dismissals that Preserve Probable Cause Do Not Compel Termination of Probation-Violation Sentences Introduction The Supreme Court of Rhode...
State v. Roman: Rhode Island Supreme Court Casts Doubt on Automatic Waiver of Rule 35 Sentence-Reduction Motions in Plea Agreements Introduction State v. Luis Roman, No. 2024-78-C.A. (R.I. June 11,...