Rhode Island General Laws

R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-13-5 (2026)

Suspension for cause — Payment for period suspended

✓ current as of July 2026
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(a) Section 16-13-4 shall not prevent the suspension of a teacher for good and just cause. Prior to the suspension of a teacher as provided in this section, the school committee shall hold a pre-suspension hearing to determine if a suspension is warranted, and at the pre-suspension hearing, shall consider any available evidence and afford the teacher or his or her counsel an opportunity to respond to that evidence. In the event a teacher is suspended or otherwise not permitted to perform his or her duties prior to the presuspension hearing, then the teacher shall be paid his or her regular salary during that period.

(b) Whenever a teacher is suspended by a school committee, the school committee shall furnish the teacher with a complete statement of the cause(s) of the suspension and, upon request, shall afford the teacher a hearing and appeal pursuant to the procedure set forth in § 16-13-4. If the teacher shall be vindicated as a result of the hearing or any appeal the teacher shall be paid in full for the period of suspension, and provided further, that during the period of suspension, all medical and insurance benefits shall remain in full force and effect.

(c) Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to prohibit or at any time to have prohibited a school committee in a municipality or regional school district with an elected school committee, or the chief executive officer in a municipality with an appointed school committee, from agreeing, in a collective bargaining agreement, to the arbitration of disputes arising out of the suspension of a teacher pursuant to subsection (a) of this section.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 7 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1960–2026 · leading case: Martone v. Johnston Sch. Comm., 824 A.2d 426 (R.I. 2003).
Martone v. Johnston Sch. Comm., 824 A.2d 426 (R.I. 2003). · cites it 33× “The defendant, Johnston School Committee (committee), appeals from a Superi- or Court judgment of mandamus, requiring it to provide a hearing to the plaintiff-teacher, Louis Martone (Martone), in accordance with G.L.1956 § 16-13-5. 1 For *428 the reasons set forth herein, we…”
Jacob v. Burke, 296 A.2d 456 (R.I. 1972). · cites it 3× “They make this contention on their conclusion that should plaintiff eventually prevail on the merits, she would be entitled to reinstatement, tenure and back salary, citing §16-13-5. This, they urge, is an adequate remedy at law.”
Royal v. Barry, 160 A.2d 572 (R.I. 1960). · cites it 3× “General laws 1956, §16-13-5, provides: “Section 16-13-4 shall not prevent the suspension of a teacher for good and just cause.”
Peter W. Russo v. State of Rhode Island, Dep't of Mental Health, Retardation & Hospitals, 87 A.3d 399 (R.I. 2014). · cites it 3× “In Martone , we addressed the issue of how to define a “suspension” under G.L.1956 § 16-13-5. Martone, 824 A.2d at 428-29 .”
Bray v. Barry, 160 A.2d 577 (R.I. 1960). “Barry, supra, that although suspension of a school teacher must be for good and just cause, §16-13-5, the committee is empowered to suspend for whatever cause it deems to be good and just, the legal sufficiency thereof being the basis of a subsequent hearing if requested by the…”
Ciccone v. Cranston Sch. Comm., 513 A.2d 32 (R.I. 1986). “Such intent is expressly evident in the provisions of § 16-13-5, which provides in part, “[sjection 16-13-4 shall not prevent the suspension of a teacher for good and just cause.”
Clifton Peasley v. City of Providence, by & through its Treasurer, Shomari Husband (R.I. 2026). · cites it 3× “While the grievance was pending, Martone filed a petition for a writ of mandamus in the Superior Court seeking a decree that the school committee conduct a hearing in accordance with § 16-13-5. Id. This Court concluded that “the election of remedies doctrine applies and is…”
— R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-13-5(a) — 1 case
Martone v. Johnston Sch. Comm., 824 A.2d 426 (R.I. 2003). “The defendant, Johnston School Committee (committee), appeals from a Superi- or Court judgment of mandamus, requiring it to provide a hearing to the plaintiff-teacher, Louis Martone (Martone), in accordance with G.L.1956 § 16-13-5. 1 For *428 the reasons set forth herein, we…”
— R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-13-5(b) — 2 cases
Martone v. Johnston Sch. Comm., 824 A.2d 426 (R.I. 2003). “The defendant, Johnston School Committee (committee), appeals from a Superi- or Court judgment of mandamus, requiring it to provide a hearing to the plaintiff-teacher, Louis Martone (Martone), in accordance with G.L.1956 § 16-13-5. 1 For *428 the reasons set forth herein, we…”
Clifton Peasley v. City of Providence, by & through its Treasurer, Shomari Husband (R.I. 2026). “While the grievance was pending, Martone filed a petition for a writ of mandamus in the Superior Court seeking a decree that the school committee conduct a hearing in accordance with § 16-13-5. Id. This Court concluded that “the election of remedies doctrine applies and is…”
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.