§ 10-6-12 — § 10-6-12. Court-approved settlements.

Rhode Island § 10-6-12

• Jurisdiction: Rhode Island
• Title 10: Courts and civil procedure–Procedure in particular actions
• Ch. 10-6: Contribution Among Joint Tortfeasors

Text

§ 10-6-12. Court-approved settlements.

The following provisions apply solely and exclusively to judicially approved good-faith settlements of claims relating to the Feld Entertainment/Ringling Brothers Circus accident on May 4, 2014.

(a) A release by a claimant of one joint tortfeasor, whether before or after judgment, does not discharge the other joint tortfeasors unless the release so provides, but such release shall reduce the claim against the other joint tortfeasors in the amount of the consideration paid for the release.

(b) A release by a claimant of one joint tortfeasor relieves them from liability to make a contribution to another joint tortfeasor.

(c) For purposes of this section, a good-faith settlement is one that does not exhibit collusion, fraud, dishonesty, or other wrongful or tortious conduct intended to prejudice the non-settling tortfeasor(s), irrespective of the settling or non-settling tortfeasors' proportionate share of liability.

Legislative History

P.L. 2019, ch. 23, § 1; P.L. 2019, ch. 24, § 1.