R.I. Gen. Laws
Rhode Island General Laws

R.I. Gen. Laws § 3-1-5 (2026)

Liberal construction of title

✓ current as of July 2026
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This title shall be construed liberally in aid of its declared purpose which declared purpose is the promotion of temperance and for the reasonable control of the traffic in alcoholic beverages; provided, however, that the promotion of incentive programs or discounts for any person sixty-five (65) years of age or older, active duty members of the armed forces of the United States, and members of the National Guard or Reserves shall be allowed.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 9 cases, 1962–2002 · leading case: Amico's Inc. v. Mattos, 789 A.2d 899 (R.I. 2002).
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Amico's Inc. v. Mattos, 789 A.2d 899 (R.I. 2002). · cites it 10× “1956 § 5-24-1, and liquor establishments under G.L.1956 § 3-1-5, G.L.1956 §§ 3-5-15 and 3-5-21, conferred upon the town the authority to enact the ordinance.”
Thompson v. Town of East Greenwich, 512 A.2d 837 (R.I. 1986). · cites it 6× “Without digressing to any great length, we find the language in § 3-1-5 to be dispositive of this matter: “Liberal construction of title.”
Rhode Island Liquor Stores Ass'n v. Evening Call Pub. Co., 497 A.2d 331 (R.I. 1985). · cites it 4× “" General Laws 1956 (1976 Reenactment) § 3-1-5. Thus the asserted governmental interests supporting each section are identical.”
Pardey v. Boulevard Billiard Club, 518 A.2d 1349 (R.I. 1986). · cites it 2× “General Laws 1956 (1976 Reenactment) § 3-1-5 specifically states that title 3 “shall be construed liberally in aid of its declared purpose which declared purpose is the promotion of temperance and [the achievement of] reasonable control of the traffic in alcoholic beverages.” In…”
El Marocco Club, Inc. v. Richardson, 746 A.2d 1228 (R.I. 2000). · cites it 2× “” G.L.1956 § 3-1-5. Moreover, § 3-7-7.3, as amended in 1997, grants to municipalities the specific authority to prohibit all entertainment at establishments holding Class B liquor licenses.”
S & S Liquor Mart, Inc. v. Pastore, 497 A.2d 729 (R.I. 1985). · cites it 2× “[9] General Laws 1956 (1976 Reenactment) § 3-1-5.”
Metals Recycling Co., Inc. v. Maccarone, 527 A.2d 1127 (R.I. 1987). · cites it 2× “We reversed, relying on the language contained in § 3-1-5, which declares that the purpose of title 3 is to promote the “reasonable control of * * * alcoholic beverages.”
Beaupre v. Boulevard Billiard Club, 510 A.2d 415 (R.I. 1986). “1956 (1976 Reenactment) § 3-1-5. To implement this legislative intent, the statute was couched in the broadest of terms, allowing recovery for “any injury” caused by the wrongful action of an intoxicated person.”
Indep. Beer Distributors Ass'n v. Liquor Control Hearing Bd., 180 A.2d 805 (R.I. 1962). “That body has declared the purpose of its legislation as contained within §3-1-5 to be “the promotion of temperance and for the reasonable control of the traffic in alcoholic beverages.”
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.