Rhode Island General Laws

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-16-9 (2026)

Inclusion of unknown defendants in complaint

✓ current as of July 2026
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(a) The complaint may include as defendants in such cause, in addition to such persons as appear of record to have, or are known to have or to assert, or who may have or assert, some claim to, or interest in, the lands described in the complaint adverse to the plaintiff’s right, title or interest therein:

(1) All other persons unknown to, or unascertained by, the plaintiff, who claim, or may claim, any right, title or interest in such real estate; and

(2) All others in privity with them or whose interest does or may constitute a cloud upon the title of the plaintiff thereto, as described in the complaint.

(b) The complaint may include such unknown defendants in substantially the following language:

(b) “Also all other persons unknown and unascertained, claiming, or who may claim, any right, title, estate, lien, or interest in the real estate involved, which is, or might become, adverse to the plaintiff’s right, title, or interest therein as alleged or which does or may constitute any cloud upon plaintiff’s title thereto, as set forth in the complaint.”

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 1 case, 1986–1986 · leading case: Sleboda v. Heirs at Law of Harris, 508 A.2d 652 (R.I. 1986).
Sleboda v. Heirs at Law of Harris, 508 A.2d 652 (R.I. 1986). · cites it 2× “III DID THE TRIAL JUSTICE ERR IN DECLINING TO ASSESS THE FEE OF THE GUARDIAN AD LITEM AGAINST DEFENDANTS? The trial justice declined to assess the fee of the guardian ad litem against the defendants because he was of the opinion that since this action was brought pursuant to the…”
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.