Rhode Island § 15-5-12 § 15-5-12. Domicile and residence requirements.

Rhode Island Statutes

§ 15-5-12 — § 15-5-12. Domicile and residence requirements.

Rhode Island § 15-5-12

Title 15Domestic Relations

Ch. 15-5Divorce and Separation

This text of Rhode Island § 15-5-12 (§ 15-5-12. Domicile and residence requirements.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Rhode Island primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-5-12 (2026).

Text

§ 15-5-12. Domicile and residence requirements.
(a) No complaint for divorce from the bond of marriage shall be granted unless the plaintiff
            has been a domiciled inhabitant of this state and has resided in this state for a
            period of one year next before the filing of the complaint; provided, that if the
            defendant has been a domiciled inhabitant of this state and has resided in this state
            for the period of one year next before the filing of the complaint, and is actually
            served with process, the requirement of this subsection as to domicile and residence
            on the part of the plaintiff is deemed satisfied and fulfilled. The residence and
        

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§ 15-5-12. Domicile and residence requirements.

(a) No complaint for divorce from the bond of marriage shall be granted unless the plaintiff has been a domiciled inhabitant of this state and has resided in this state for a period of one year next before the filing of the complaint; provided, that if the defendant has been a domiciled inhabitant of this state and has resided in this state for the period of one year next before the filing of the complaint, and is actually served with process, the requirement of this subsection as to domicile and residence on the part of the plaintiff is deemed satisfied and fulfilled. The residence and domicile of any person immediately prior to the commencement of his or her active service as a member of the armed forces or of the merchant marine of the United States, or immediately prior to his or her absence from the state in the performance of services in connection with military operations as defined in subsection (c) of this section, shall, for the purposes of this section, continue to be his or her residence and domicile during the time of his or her service and for a period of thirty (30) days after this. Testimony to prove domicile and residence may be received through the ex parte affidavit of one witness.

(b) Every word importing the masculine gender only shall be construed in this section to extend to and include females as well as males.

(c) The term "services in connection with military operationsâ€� shall be construed in this section to include persons serving with the American Red Cross, the Society of Friends, the Women's Auxiliary Service Pilots, and the United Service Organizations.

Legislative History

G.L. 1896, ch. 195, § 10; P.L. 1902, ch. 971, § 4; G.L. 1909, ch. 247, § 10; G.L. 1923, ch. 291, § 10; G.L. 1938, ch. 416, § 10; P.L. 1946, ch. 1682, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 15-5-12; P.L. 1975, ch. 214, § 1; P.L. 1979, ch. 373, § 11; P.L. 1996, ch. 145, § 1; P.L. 2004, ch. 6, § 25.