The following words and phrases when used in this chapter shall, unless the context
otherwise requires, be construed as follows:
(1) “Adult” means a person eighteen (18) years of age or older.
(2) “Appropriate person,” as used in §§ 14-1-10 and 14-1-11, except in matters relating to adoptions and child marriages, means and includes:
(i) Any police official of this state, or of any city or town within this state;
(ii) Any duly qualified prosecuting officer of this state, or of any city or town within
this state;
(iii) Any director of public welfare of any city or town within this state, or his or her
duly authorized subordinate;
(iv) Any truant officer or other school official of any city or town within this state;
(v) Any duly authorized representative of any public or duly licensed private agency or
institution established for purposes similar to those specified in § 8-10-2 or 14-1-2; or
(vi) Any maternal or paternal grandparent, who alleges that the surviving parent, in those
cases in which one parent is deceased, is an unfit and improper person to have custody
of any child or children.
(3) “Child” means a person under eighteen (18) years of age; provided, however, solely
for the purposes of “special immigrant juvenile status,” pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(27)(J), a child may be defined as an unmarried person under the age of twenty-one (21) years.
(4) “The court” means the family court of the state of Rhode Island.
(5) “Delinquent,” when applied to a child, means and includes any child who has committed
any offense that, if committed by an adult, would constitute a felony, or who has
on more than one occasion violated any of the other laws of the state or of the United
States or any of the ordinances of cities and towns, other than ordinances relating
to the operation of motor vehicles.
(6) “Dependent” means any child who requires the protection and assistance of the court
when his or her physical or mental health or welfare is harmed, or threatened with
harm, due to the inability of the parent or guardian, through no fault of the parent
or guardian, to provide the child with a minimum degree of care or proper supervision
because of:
(i) The death or illness of a parent; or
(ii) The special medical, educational, or social-service needs of the child which the parent
is unable to provide.
(7) “Justice” means a justice of the family court.
(8) “Neglect” means a child who requires the protection and assistance of the court when
his or her physical or mental health or welfare is harmed, or threatened with harm,
when the parents or guardian:
(i) Fails to supply the child with adequate food, clothing, shelter, or medical care,
though financially able to do so or offered financial or other reasonable means to
do so;
(ii) Fails to provide the child proper education as required by law; or
(iii) Abandons and/or deserts the child.
(9) “Supervised independent living setting” means a supervised setting in which a young
adult is living independently, that meets any safety and/or licensing requirements
established by the department for this population, and is paired with a supervising
agency or a supervising worker, including, but not limited to, single or shared apartments
or houses, host homes, relatives’ and mentors’ homes, college dormitories or other
postsecondary educational or vocational housing. All or part of the financial assistance
that secures an independent supervised setting for a young adult may be paid directly
to the young adult if there is no provider or other child-placing intermediary, or
to a landlord, a college, or to a supervising agency, or to other third parties on
behalf of the young adult in the discretion of the department.
(10) “Voluntary placement agreement for extension of care” means a written agreement between
the state agency and a young adult who meets the eligibility conditions specified
in § 14-1-6(c), acting as their own legal guardian that is binding on the parties to the agreement.
At a minimum, the agreement recognizes the voluntary nature of the agreement, the
legal status of the young adult and the rights and obligations of the young adult,
as well as the services and supports the agency agrees to provide during the time
that the young adult consents to giving the department legal responsibility for care
and placement.
(11) “Wayward,” when applied to a child, means and includes any child:
(i) Who has deserted his or her home without good or sufficient cause;
(ii) Who habitually associates with dissolute, vicious, or immoral persons;
(iii) Who is leading an immoral or vicious life;
(iv) Who is habitually disobedient to the reasonable and lawful commands of his or her
parent or parents, guardian, or other lawful custodian;
(v) Who, being required by chapter 19 of title 16 to attend school, willfully and habitually absents himself or herself from school
or habitually violates the rules and regulations of the school when he or she attends;
(vi) Who has, on any occasion, violated any of the laws of the state or of the United States
or any of the ordinances of cities and towns, other than ordinances relating to the
operation of motor vehicles; or
(vii) Any child under seventeen (17) years of age who violates § 21-28.11-22, and who is not exempted from the penalties pursuant to chapter 28.6 of title 21.
(12) “Young adult” means an individual who has attained the age of eighteen (18) years
but has not reached the age of twenty-one (21) years and was in the legal custody
of the department on their eighteenth birthday pursuant to an abuse, neglect or dependency
petition; or was a former foster child who was adopted or placed in a guardianship
after attaining age sixteen (16).
(13) The singular shall be construed to include the plural, the plural the singular, and
the masculine the feminine, when consistent with the intent of this chapter.
(14) For the purposes of this chapter, “electronic surveillance and monitoring devices”
means any “radio frequency identification device (RFID)” or “global positioning device”
that is either tethered to a person or is intended to be kept with a person and is
used for the purposes of tracking the whereabouts of that person within the community.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in
54
cases (
2 in the last 5 years), 1965–2026 · leading case:
In Re Harrison, 992 A.2d 990 (R.I. 2010).
In Re Harrison, 992 A.2d 990 (R.I. 2010).
· cites it 8× “" [9] Section 14-1-3(5) defines "[d]elinquent" as, "any child who has committed any offense which, if committed by an adult, would constitute a felony, or who has on more than one occasion violated any of the other laws of the state or of the United States or any of the…”
Millis Pub. Schs. v. M.P., 89 N.E.3d 1170 (Mass. 2018).
· cites it 3× “§§ 6302 ("[d]ependent child"), 6351; R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 14-1-3(9), 14-1-32 ; S.”
In Re Jermaine H., 9 A.3d 1227 (R.I. 2010).
· cites it 5× “” Section 14-1-3(6), (8). This Court has held that in passing on allegations of dependency or neglect, it is incumbent upon the trial justice to set forth the facts upon which the finding rests.”
In Re Jonathan, 415 A.2d 1036 (R.I. 1980).
· cites it 5× “The appeal by Beatrice is sustained, the decree finding Jonathan neglected and/or dependent is reversed, the denial of the petition of Beatrice for a change in custody is reversed, and the case is remanded to the Family Court for the entry of a decree in accordance with this…”
Inmates of Boys' Training Sch. v. Affleck, 346 F. Supp. 1354 (D.R.I. 1972).
· cites it 4× “G.L. § 14-1-3. Among such “wayward” boys, are boys who are found to be truants from schools, disobedient boys, and boys who have run away from home “without good or sufficient cause.”
In re Kurt H., 152 A.3d 408 (R.I. 2017).
· cites it 4× “A dependent child is defined under G.L. 1956 § 14-1-3(6) as: “any child who requires the protection and assistance of the court when his or her physical or mental health or welfare is harmed, or threatened with harm, due to the inability of the parent or guardian, through no…”
Elizabeth Boyer v. Chief Judge Haiganush Bedrosian, 57 A.3d 259 (R.I. 2012).
· cites it 2× “” G.L.1956 § 14-1-3. Other acts that might lead to a determination that a youth is wayward include deserting the household, refusing to obey parents, being habitually absent from school, or failing to follow school rules.”
In Re Lee, 442 A.2d 893 (R.I. 1982).
· cites it 7× “The terms `dependent' and/or `neglected' when applied to a child shall mean and include any child Who is homeless or destitute or abandoned or dependent upon the public for support, or who has not the parental care or guardianship or who habitually begs or receives alms, or…”
In Re Edward, 441 A.2d 543 (R.I. 1982).
· cites it 5× “The Family Court has been given exclusive jurisdiction in respect to “matters relating to delinquent [and] wayward * * * children” by G.”
Bouchard v. Price, 694 A.2d 670 (R.I. 1997).
· cites it 2× “" Section 14-1-3(5). Such admissions are not covered by the act, which for our purposes is limited to those persons who have "voluntarily admitted the commission of [a felony].”
State v. Day, 911 A.2d 1042 (R.I. 2006).
· cites it 2× “Section 14-1-3(5) says that the term delinquent "when applied to a child means and includes any child who has committed any offense which, if committed by an adult, would constitute a felony, or who has on *1046 more than one occasion violated any of the other laws of the state…”
In Re Lester, 417 A.2d 877 (R.I. 1980).
· cites it 2× “General Laws 1956 (1969 Reenactment) § 14-1-3, as amended by P.L. 1969, ch. 252, § 1 reads in pertinent part as follows: “H.”
— R.I. Gen. Laws § 14-1-3(1) — 2 cases
— R.I. Gen. Laws § 14-1-3(3) — 1 case
— R.I. Gen. Laws § 14-1-3(5) — 7 cases
In Re Harrison, 992 A.2d 990 (R.I. 2010).
“" [9] Section 14-1-3(5) defines "[d]elinquent" as, "any child who has committed any offense which, if committed by an adult, would constitute a felony, or who has on more than one occasion violated any of the other laws of the state or of the United States or any of the…”
Bouchard v. Price, 694 A.2d 670 (R.I. 1997).
“" Section 14-1-3(5). Such admissions are not covered by the act, which for our purposes is limited to those persons who have "voluntarily admitted the commission of [a felony].”
State v. Day, 911 A.2d 1042 (R.I. 2006).
“Section 14-1-3(5) says that the term delinquent "when applied to a child means and includes any child who has committed any offense which, if committed by an adult, would constitute a felony, or who has on *1046 more than one occasion violated any of the other laws of the state…”
— R.I. Gen. Laws § 14-1-3(6) — 8 cases
In Re Jermaine H., 9 A.3d 1227 (R.I. 2010).
“” Section 14-1-3(6), (8). This Court has held that in passing on allegations of dependency or neglect, it is incumbent upon the trial justice to set forth the facts upon which the finding rests.”
In re Kurt H., 152 A.3d 408 (R.I. 2017).
“A dependent child is defined under G.L. 1956 § 14-1-3(6) as: “any child who requires the protection and assistance of the court when his or her physical or mental health or welfare is harmed, or threatened with harm, due to the inability of the parent or guardian, through no…”
— R.I. Gen. Laws § 14-1-3(8) — 4 cases
In re Kurt H., 152 A.3d 408 (R.I. 2017).
“A dependent child is defined under G.L. 1956 § 14-1-3(6) as: “any child who requires the protection and assistance of the court when his or her physical or mental health or welfare is harmed, or threatened with harm, due to the inability of the parent or guardian, through no…”
In Re Jermaine H., 9 A.3d 1227 (R.I. 2010).
“” Section 14-1-3(6), (8). This Court has held that in passing on allegations of dependency or neglect, it is incumbent upon the trial justice to set forth the facts upon which the finding rests.”
— R.I. Gen. Laws § 14-1-3(9) — 2 cases
In Re Harrison, 992 A.2d 990 (R.I. 2010).
“" [9] Section 14-1-3(5) defines "[d]elinquent" as, "any child who has committed any offense which, if committed by an adult, would constitute a felony, or who has on more than one occasion violated any of the other laws of the state or of the United States or any of the…”
Millis Pub. Schs. v. M.P., 89 N.E.3d 1170 (Mass. 2018).
“§§ 6302 ("[d]ependent child"), 6351; R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 14-1-3(9), 14-1-32 ; S.”
— R.I. Gen. Laws § 14-1-3(C) — 6 cases
In Re Edward, 441 A.2d 543 (R.I. 1982).
“The Family Court has been given exclusive jurisdiction in respect to “matters relating to delinquent [and] wayward * * * children” by G.”
— R.I. Gen. Laws § 14-1-3(D) — 1 case
In Re Edward, 441 A.2d 543 (R.I. 1982).
“The Family Court has been given exclusive jurisdiction in respect to “matters relating to delinquent [and] wayward * * * children” by G.”
— R.I. Gen. Laws § 14-1-3(F) — 5 cases
In Re Edward, 441 A.2d 543 (R.I. 1982).
“The Family Court has been given exclusive jurisdiction in respect to “matters relating to delinquent [and] wayward * * * children” by G.”
— R.I. Gen. Laws § 14-1-3(G) — 1 case
— R.I. Gen. Laws § 14-1-3(G)(6) — 1 case
— R.I. Gen. Laws § 14-1-3(H) — 7 cases
In Re Jonathan, 415 A.2d 1036 (R.I. 1980).
“The appeal by Beatrice is sustained, the decree finding Jonathan neglected and/or dependent is reversed, the denial of the petition of Beatrice for a change in custody is reversed, and the case is remanded to the Family Court for the entry of a decree in accordance with this…”
In Re Lee, 442 A.2d 893 (R.I. 1982).
“The terms `dependent' and/or `neglected' when applied to a child shall mean and include any child Who is homeless or destitute or abandoned or dependent upon the public for support, or who has not the parental care or guardianship or who habitually begs or receives alms, or…”
In Re Lester, 417 A.2d 877 (R.I. 1980).
“General Laws 1956 (1969 Reenactment) § 14-1-3, as amended by P.L. 1969, ch. 252, § 1 reads in pertinent part as follows: “H.”
— R.I. Gen. Laws § 14-1-3(I) — 1 case
— R.I. Gen. Laws § 14-1-3(I)(5) — 2 cases
— R.I. Gen. Laws § 14-1-3(c) — 1 case
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the
Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and
treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.