(a) The district court shall have exclusive original jurisdiction of:
(1) All civil actions at law, but not causes in equity or those following the course of
equity except as provided in § 8-8-3.1 and chapter 8.1 of this title, wherein the amount in controversy does not exceed
five thousand dollars ($5,000);
(2) All actions between landlords and tenants pursuant to chapter 18 of title 34 and all other actions for possession of premises and estates notwithstanding the
provisions of subsection (c) of this section;
(3) All actions of replevin where the goods and chattels to be replevied are of the value
of five thousand dollars ($5,000) or less;
(4) All violations of minimum housing standards whether established by chapter 24.3 of title 45 or by any municipal ordinance, rule, or regulation passed pursuant to the authority
granted either by chapter 24.2 of title 45 or by special act of the general assembly governing minimum housing standards; except
that in the event the city of Providence or town of North Providence shall by ordinance
create a court for the purpose of exercising jurisdiction over violations of minimum
housing standards, Providence Municipal Zoning Code and the Rhode Island State Building
Code, chapter 27.3 of title 23, concerning properties which are not owned by the state, upon enactment of the ordinance,
that court shall have exclusive original jurisdiction of violations of the above listed
codes and standards as defined herein occurring within the city of Providence or the
town of North Providence, and the district court shall be without jurisdiction over
those actions;
(5) All suits and complaints for offenses against the bylaws, ordinances, and regulations
of cities and towns whether passed by the cities or towns or under the law by the
properly constituted authorities thereof;
(6) All other actions, proceedings, and matters of whatever nature which are or shall
be declared to be within the jurisdiction of the court by the laws of the state.
(b) The district court shall also have any special jurisdiction which is or may be conferred
by charter or law upon justices of the peace if no special court exists or is created
by charter or law for that purpose.
(c) The district court shall have concurrent original jurisdiction with the superior court
of all civil actions at law wherein the amount in controversy exceeds the sum of five
thousand dollars ($5,000) and does not exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000); provided,
however, that in any such action, any one or more defendants may in the answer to
the complaint demand removal of the action to the superior court, in which event the
action shall proceed as if it had been filed originally in the superior court.
(d) The district court shall have special jurisdiction to grant relief as set forth under
§ 15-15-4(b)(1).
Notes of Decisions
City of Providence v. Doe, 21 A.3d 315 (R.I. 2011).
· cites it 12× “" Moreover, defendants argue that even if this Court were to determine that the term “other” as used within the statute is restricted to the landlord-tenant context as the trial justice reasoned, then, in that case, subsection (a)(5) of § 8-8-3, which vests the District Court…”
Long v. Dell, Inc., 984 A.2d 1074 (R.I. 2009).
“Accordingly, we held that, in accordance with § 8-8-24 and § 8-8-3, the appropriate venue was the District Court.”
Oaks v. Dist. Court of State of RI, 631 F. Supp. 538 (D.R.I. 1986).
· cites it 4× “G.L. § 8-8-3(a)(2). 2 Any defendant who desires to appeal the judgment in such an action must pay the aforementioned litigation costs required by R.”
289 Kilvert, LLC v. SBC Tower Holdings LLC, 133 F.4th 1 (1st Cir. 2025).
· cites it 3× “May a Rhode Island statute, R.I. Gen. Laws § 8-8-3(a)(2) (2025), allocating jurisdiction over landlord-tenant disputes to its district courts, preclude removal to federal court? Appellant SBC Tower Holdings LLC, ("SBC Tower") and Appellee 289 Kilvert, LLC ("Kilvert") have a…”
Owner-Operators Indep. Drivers Ass'n of Am. v. State, 541 A.2d 69 (R.I. 1988).
· cites it 2× “” In addition, defendants assert that the issue of jurisdiction is controlled by § 8-8-3, as amended by P.L. 1985, ch. 492, § 1, which provides in part, “Jurisdiction.”
Title Inv. Co. of Am. v. Fowler, 504 A.2d 1010 (R.I. 1986).
“1956 (1969 Reenactment) § 8-8-3(b), as amended by P.L.1981, ch. 215, § 2, which gives the District Court concurrent jurisdiction with the Superior Court in civil actions where the amount in controversy exceeds $5,000 but does not exceed $10,000.”
Hebden v. Antonian, 518 A.2d 1362 (R.I. 1986).
“The *1363 District Court’s exercise of original jurisdiction over this matter was therefore proper, and appeal to the Superior Court defendants’ appropriate “next step.” Under § 9-12-12, however, “[ejvery defendant in an action for the possession of tenements let or held at will…”
Ernest Barone v. State of Rhode Island, 93 A.3d 938 (R.I. 2014).
“” Finally, we note that § 8-8-3(a)(6) provides that “[t]he district court shall have exclusive original jurisdiction of * * * [a]ll * * * actions, proceedings, and matters of whatever nature which are or shall be declared to be within the jurisdiction of the court by the laws of…”
Latonya Marzett v. Amanda Letendre, alias (R.I. 2021).
· cites it 4× “She specifically contends that, because the causes of action sounding in breach of contract and damage to property arise out of the former landlord-tenant relationship between the parties (as opposed to a presently existing relationship), they do not fall within the purview of…”
289 Kilvert, LLC v. SBC Tower Holdings, LLC (D.R.I. 2024).
· cites it 3× “G.L. § 8-8-3(a)(2). Chapter 18 of title 34 in turn provides in relevant part: If, in any case of a letting covered by this chapter, … the landlord or reversioner wishing to repossess him or herself of the lands, building, or parts of buildings let, or recover possession of the…”
Fatima Touijer v. Providence Hous. Auth. (R.I. 2026).
· cites it 3× “1956 § 34-18-9 and G.L. 1956 § 8-8-3(a)(2), they argued that the complaint related to a landlord-tenant relationship and that the 2 Neither the Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights nor the Rhode Island Center for Justice is named as a defendant in the complaint.”
R.I. Gen. Laws § 8-8-3(2): 1 case
Hebden v. Antonian, 518 A.2d 1362 (R.I. 1986).
“The *1363 District Court’s exercise of original jurisdiction over this matter was therefore proper, and appeal to the Superior Court defendants’ appropriate “next step.” Under § 9-12-12, however, “[ejvery defendant in an action for the possession of tenements let or held at will…”
R.I. Gen. Laws § 8-8-3(a)(1): 1 case
R.I. Gen. Laws § 8-8-3(a)(2): 8 cases
City of Providence v. Doe, 21 A.3d 315 (R.I. 2011).
“" Moreover, defendants argue that even if this Court were to determine that the term “other” as used within the statute is restricted to the landlord-tenant context as the trial justice reasoned, then, in that case, subsection (a)(5) of § 8-8-3, which vests the District Court…”
Oaks v. Dist. Court of State of RI, 631 F. Supp. 538 (D.R.I. 1986).
“G.L. § 8-8-3(a)(2). 2 Any defendant who desires to appeal the judgment in such an action must pay the aforementioned litigation costs required by R.”
289 Kilvert, LLC v. SBC Tower Holdings LLC, 133 F.4th 1 (1st Cir. 2025).
“May a Rhode Island statute, R.I. Gen. Laws § 8-8-3(a)(2) (2025), allocating jurisdiction over landlord-tenant disputes to its district courts, preclude removal to federal court? Appellant SBC Tower Holdings LLC, ("SBC Tower") and Appellee 289 Kilvert, LLC ("Kilvert") have a…”
Latonya Marzett v. Amanda Letendre, alias (R.I. 2021).
“She specifically contends that, because the causes of action sounding in breach of contract and damage to property arise out of the former landlord-tenant relationship between the parties (as opposed to a presently existing relationship), they do not fall within the purview of…”
R.I. Gen. Laws § 8-8-3(a)(4): 2 cases
R.I. Gen. Laws § 8-8-3(a)(5): 1 case
City of Providence v. Doe, 21 A.3d 315 (R.I. 2011).
“" Moreover, defendants argue that even if this Court were to determine that the term “other” as used within the statute is restricted to the landlord-tenant context as the trial justice reasoned, then, in that case, subsection (a)(5) of § 8-8-3, which vests the District Court…”
R.I. Gen. Laws § 8-8-3(a)(6): 1 case
Ernest Barone v. State of Rhode Island, 93 A.3d 938 (R.I. 2014).
“” Finally, we note that § 8-8-3(a)(6) provides that “[t]he district court shall have exclusive original jurisdiction of * * * [a]ll * * * actions, proceedings, and matters of whatever nature which are or shall be declared to be within the jurisdiction of the court by the laws of…”
R.I. Gen. Laws § 8-8-3(b): 1 case
Title Inv. Co. of Am. v. Fowler, 504 A.2d 1010 (R.I. 1986).
“1956 (1969 Reenactment) § 8-8-3(b), as amended by P.L.1981, ch. 215, § 2, which gives the District Court concurrent jurisdiction with the Superior Court in civil actions where the amount in controversy exceeds $5,000 but does not exceed $10,000.”
R.I. Gen. Laws § 8-8-3(c): 1 case
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