Process for submission of a Petition for Issuance of a Writ of Certiorari to Rhode Island Supreme Court, including timeline for submission of petition, Rule 12A pre-briefing statements, briefs and decisions.

1. The Anatomy of Petition for
Writ of Certiorari to the
Rhode Island Supreme Court
Copyright 2013, Adler Pollock & Sheehan P.C. · Attorney Advertising.
Nicole J. Benjamin, Esquire
nbenjamin@apslaw.com
Adler Pollock & Sheehan P.C.
One Citizens Plaza, 8th Floor
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 274-7200
www.RIAppeals.com

2. Common-Law Petition
Order, ruling or
decision
Petition for
Issuance of Writ
Memorandum in
Opposition
Within a reasonable time
Davis v. Rhode Island Bd. of Regents, 399 A.2d
1247, 1249 (R.I. 1979) (petition will not be
granted when there is an unreasonable and
unexplained delay in seeking relief).
20 days R.I. Sup. Ct. R. App. P. 13(b)
Reply
Memorandum
10 days R.I. Sup. Ct. R. App. P. 13(c)

3. Order Granting or Denying Petition
Order Granting
Petition
Petitioner’s
Statement
of the Case
Respondent’s
Counterstatement
of the Case
15 days
20 days R.I. Sup. Ct. R. App. P. 13(e)
and 12A(1)
R.I. Sup. Ct. R. App. P. 12A(2)
Order Denying
Petition
*Note: Petitioner is
responsible for transmitting
the record. R.I. Sup. Ct. R.
App. P. 10 and 11.

4. Pre-briefing Conference
Rule 12A
Conference
Assignment to
Show Cause
R.I. Sup. Ct. R. App. P. 12A(3)(a)
Assignment to
Regular Calendar
Referral to Court
Conference
R.I. Sup. Ct. R. App. P. 12A(3)(c) R.I. Sup. Ct. R. App. P. 12A(3)(b)
Case may be:
Decided by the Court
Assigned to Show Cause
Assigned to Regular Calendar

5. Briefing
Assignment to
Show Cause
Assignment to
Regular Calendar
20 days* R.I. Sup. Ct. R. App. P. 12A(4)
Petitioner’s Optional
Supplemental
Statement
Respondent’s Optional
Supplemental
Counterstatement
10 days* R.I. Sup. Ct. R. App. P. 12A(4)
* Unless otherwise ordered by the Court
40 days* R.I. Sup. Ct. R. App. P. 16(a)
Petitioner’s Brief
Respondent’s Brief
40 days* R.I. Sup. Ct. R. App. P. 16(b)
Petitioner’s
Reply Brief
20 days* R.I. Sup. Ct. R. App. P. 16(c)

6. Oral Argument – Show Cause Calendar
10 minutes R.I. Sup. Ct. R. App. P. 24(b)
Petitioner’s
Argument
Petitioner’s Rebuttal
Respondent’s
Argument
10 minutes R.I. Sup. Ct. R. App. P. 24(b)
2 minutes R.I. Sup. Ct. R. App. P. 24(b)

7. Oral Argument – Regular Calendar
30 minutes R.I. Sup. Ct. R. App. P. 24(b)
Petitioner’s
Argument
Petitioner’s Rebuttal
Respondent’s
Argument
30 minutes R.I. Sup. Ct. R. App. P. 24(b)
10 minutes R.I. Sup. Ct. R. App. P. 24(b)

8. Decision
There is no deadline for the issuance of decisions.
Most often, however, decisions are released by
July, when the Court begins its summer hours.