Rhode Island Divorce Forms and Papers You Need to File

Rhode Island Family Court makes every divorce form available for free through its website and the clerk's office. The problem is not access — it is knowing which forms you actually need, in what order, and how to fill them out correctly when court staff cannot review your paperwork for accuracy.

Here is the complete filing packet, broken down by what the plaintiff files at case opening, what the defendant must file within 20 days, and what both parties need at the nominal hearing and for finalization.

Forms the Plaintiff Files at Case Opening

Complaint for Divorce — This is the document that formally initiates the case. It identifies both spouses, states your grounds for divorce (irreconcilable differences is the most common no-fault ground under R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-5-3.1), and lists the specific relief you are asking the court to grant — property division, alimony, custody, child support.

Form DR-6 (Statement of Assets, Liabilities, Income, and Expenses) — A notarized, multi-page financial disclosure. Both parties must eventually file one, but the plaintiff's DR-6 goes in with the complaint. It covers gross income, payroll deductions, monthly expenses, real estate, vehicles, bank accounts, retirement accounts, and all debts. Rhode Island uses a 4.3-week monthly multiplier for income calculations, not four weeks. The form follows a "snapshot rule" — everything must reflect your finances on the exact day you sign and notarize the document.

Rhode Island Department of Health Divorce Record — A statistical form required by the state vital records office.

Certified Copy of the Marriage Certificate — The original or a certified copy from the state where you were married.

Form FC-59 (Statement Listing Children) — Required if the marriage produced minor children.

Form DR-10 (Child Support Guidelines Worksheet) — Required when children are involved. This calculates the presumptive child support obligation using Rhode Island's income-shares formula.

UCCJEA Affidavit — Required if you have minor children. This jurisdictional affidavit discloses where each child has lived for the past five years and whether any other state has an existing custody or child protection order.

Forms the Defendant Files After Being Served

The defendant has 20 days from the date of service to file:

• Answer to Complaint for Divorce — a written response to each allegation in the complaint
• Defendant's Form DR-6 — their own notarized financial disclosure, identical in format to the plaintiff's

If the defendant does not respond within 20 days, the plaintiff can move for a default judgment.

Forms for the Nominal Hearing and Finalization

Marital Settlement Agreement — If both parties agree on property division, custody, support, and alimony, they present this written agreement to the judge at the nominal hearing for approval.

Decision Pending Entry of Final Judgment (DPEFJ) — Filed within 30 days of the judge's decision. This document must include a prominent warning that the parties remain legally married. The Rhode Island Judiciary's "Guide and File" online portal can help generate this form.

Final Judgment — Filed after the nisi waiting period expires (90 days for standard divorces, 20 days for three-year separation cases). This is what actually dissolves the marriage.

Where to Get the Forms

All forms are available through three channels:

1. Rhode Island Judiciary website (courts.ri.gov) — downloadable PDFs
2. Family Court clerk's office — paper copies available at the window in Providence, Kent, Washington, or Newport counties
3. Guide and File Portal — an interactive, interview-based tool on the judiciary website that generates the DPEFJ and Final Judgment forms based on your answers

Keep in mind that the Guide and File Portal only covers the post-hearing finalization paperwork. It does not generate the complaint, DR-6, or other initial filing documents.

Common Form Mistakes That Delay Cases

Double-counting on the DR-6. If health insurance, dental, or retirement contributions are already deducted from your paycheck and listed on page one, do not list them again as expenses on page two. The judge will flag this and may question the accuracy of your entire disclosure.

Using projected expenses. The DR-6 snapshot rule means you can only list expenses you are paying right now. Planning to rent an apartment next month does not count — you list your current housing cost on the day you sign the form.

Missing the notarization. The DR-6 must be signed in front of a notary public. An un-notarized form will be rejected at the filing window.

Filing in the wrong county. Your complaint goes to the Family Court in the county where the plaintiff lives. If the plaintiff lives out of state and is relying on the defendant's residency, file in Providence County or the defendant's county.

For a walkthrough that covers each form section by section — including the DR-6 income calculations, the service of process steps, and the two-step finalization paperwork — the Rhode Island Divorce Filing Process Guide keeps the entire sequence in one place.

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