Start with the Judiciary for cases—and BCI for a formal state background check
Rhode Island criminal information is split between the Rhode Island Judiciary, the Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation, local police departments, Rhode Island State Police, the Department of Corrections and other criminal-justice agencies.
The Judiciary Public Portal is the best starting point for public court-case information. A Rhode Island BCI is different: it is a state criminal-history report produced by the Attorney General’s Office and follows its own identity, consent and fee rules.
First, decide which Rhode Island record you need
Criminal court case
Use for charges filed in court, docket activity, hearings, dispositions, filings and other public case information.
State criminal-history report
A Rhode Island state background check based on the criminal-history information maintained by BCI.
Arrest or incident record
Police reports, arrest reports and other law-enforcement records are held by the agency that created them.
Incarceration record
Use Rhode Island Department of Corrections for current incarceration information.
Older criminal case
Semi-active, inactive and archival Judiciary files can be transferred to the JRC in Pawtucket.
Sex-offender registry
Rhode Island State Police operates the state’s public sex-offender registry system.
How Rhode Island criminal courts are divided
Misdemeanors and initial felony proceedings
Rhode Island District Court has original jurisdiction over misdemeanors carrying up to one year of jail time. Most felony cases are also initially arraigned there, where bail can be set and monitored before the matter proceeds to Superior Court.
Felony trials
Superior Court has original jurisdiction in felony proceedings and conducts jury and non-jury criminal trials. It also hears District Court criminal appeals as new trials.
State appellate review
Rhode Island does not have a separate intermediate Court of Appeals. Eligible state criminal appeals can reach the Rhode Island Supreme Court.
Search Rhode Island criminal court cases through the Judiciary Public Portal
The Rhode Island Judiciary Public Portal is the Judiciary’s electronic point of entry for public case information.
The online database displays a register of actions or docket sheet, which can show parties, case events, document filings and other case activity in chronological order.
Open official Rhode Island case-information pageOpen the Judiciary Public Portal
Start from the Rhode Island Judiciary case-information page so you use the current official portal.
Search the defendant or case information
Use the identifying information supported by the portal and narrow the result to the correct court and case.
Open the docket / register of actions
Review events chronologically instead of relying on a single charge description.
Follow a felony into Superior Court
If the District Court entry relates to an initial felony proceeding, look for the later Superior Court case.
Move to courthouse access for actual public documents
Ordinary remote public access is more limited than access available from public courthouse terminals.
Rhode Island remote access is not the same as courthouse access
This distinction is one of the most useful things to understand before searching Rhode Island records.
| Access type | What the public generally gets | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Remote Public Portal | Register of actions / docket information | Ordinary public users do not receive remote access to all other electronic case information. |
| Courthouse public terminal | Broader public electronic case information and public electronic documents | Sealed, confidential and non-public matters remain restricted. |
| Clerk’s office | Case-file assistance, copies, certification and records guidance | Fees and local procedures can apply. |
| Judicial Records Center | Older, semi-active, inactive and archival court records | Confirm that the file is actually stored there before visiting. |
How to read a Rhode Island criminal case result
Save it
The case number becomes especially useful when requesting an older record or a certified disposition.
Not the final outcome
A filed misdemeanor or felony charge does not show whether the defendant was convicted.
Read chronologically
Look for arraignment, bail, motions, pleas, trial activity, sentencing and later case events.
Focus here
The final disposition is more meaningful than the original charge when determining how the case ended.
Later relief matters
A later expungement or sealing order can remove qualifying records from public access.
Check later review
A Rhode Island Supreme Court appeal may affect how a Superior Court result should be understood.
Rhode Island BCI state criminal-history checks
The Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation provides state criminal-history reports commonly called BCIs.
A Rhode Island state BCI is a name-and-date-of-birth search and covers Rhode Island records.
| Feature | Current Rhode Island state BCI rule |
|---|---|
| State BCI fee | $5 |
| Search method | Name and date of birth |
| Geographic coverage | Rhode Island records only |
| In person | Walk-in service at 4 Howard Avenue, Cranston |
| By mail | Available with notarized release, ID copy, payment and return envelope |
| Third-party report | Requires signed notarized release and additional recipient identification requirements |
What is included in a Rhode Island state BCI?
The Attorney General says the current state background-check report reflects fingerprint-supported arrests that either:
- resulted in a criminal conviction or equivalent disposition; or
- remain pending prosecution at the time of the inquiry.
This can include misdemeanor and felony matters and dispositions such as guilty pleas, nolo contendere pleas, guilty verdicts, guilty filings, not-guilty filings and deferred sentences while those records remain reportable.
What does a Rhode Island state BCI leave out?
- federal arrests
- out-of-state arrests
- dismissed charges
- acquittals
- grand-jury no-true-bill matters
- cases where no Information was filed
- records sealed or expunged by court order
How to get a Rhode Island state BCI
In person
Go to the Attorney General Customer Service Center
State BCI service is provided at 4 Howard Avenue in Cranston.
Bring acceptable photo identification
Current Attorney General instructions accept a valid state driver’s license, state identification card or U.S. passport.
Check into the virtual line
The Cranston customer-service center uses a QR-code virtual queue with a lobby kiosk available for people who cannot use the QR code.
Pay the $5 state background-check fee
The Attorney General currently instructs in-person users to bring a credit or debit card. Card processing fees can apply.
By mail
A mailed state BCI request currently requires:
- signed and notarized release form
- copy of accepted photo identification
- $5 check or money order payable to BCI
- self-addressed stamped return envelope
Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General
4 Howard AvenueCranston, RI 02920
State BCI questions: BCIstate@riag.ri.gov
The Attorney General currently advises allowing approximately 14 days for mailing and BCI processing.
Rhode Island Attorney General BCI office and map
Attorney General Julius C. Michaelson Customer Service Center
4 Howard AvenueCranston, RI 02920
Phone: 401-274-4400
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Fingerprinting stops: 4:00 p.m.
Closed on state holidays.
State checks are walk-in
State BCI checks do not require an appointment. The office uses a virtual-line check-in system. Registration currently remains open until 4:15 p.m.; fingerprint service ends at 4:00 p.m.
Rhode Island state BCI vs. national fingerprint background check
A state BCI is not a national criminal-history check.
Rhode Island only
Name-and-date-of-birth search of Rhode Island criminal-history information. Current fee: $5.
Fingerprint based
Used for specific employment, professional-license, caregiver and other purposes authorized by Rhode Island or federal law. Current Attorney General national-check fee: $45.
For many employment-related national checks, the employer or licensing agency supplies the paperwork needed before fingerprinting.
Rhode Island arrest reports and police records
A police arrest record is different from a BCI and different from the court case that may follow.
For a specific local incident, start with the law-enforcement agency that handled the arrest or investigation. That may be a municipal police department or the Rhode Island State Police.
Local incident or arrest
Request the report from the city or town police department that investigated the matter.
RISP report
Rhode Island State Police accepts public-record requests through its Legal Office.
Filed criminal charge
Use the Judiciary Public Portal to determine whether the arrest became a criminal court case.
Rhode Island State Police records contact
311 Danielson Pike
North Scituate, RI 02857
Public records phone:
401-764-0537
Email:
Records@risp.gov
Fax: 401-444-1105
How Rhode Island APRA public-record requests work
Rhode Island’s Access to Public Records Act is found at R.I. Gen. Laws § 38-2-1 et seq. It is commonly called APRA.
| APRA rule | General Rhode Island standard |
|---|---|
| Initial response period | 10 business days |
| Extension | Up to an additional 20 business days when allowed |
| Paper copy rate | Up to $0.15 per page |
| Search / retrieval | Up to $15 per hour |
| First search hour | No search/retrieval charge |
APRA is useful for agency records such as qualifying police or government records, but exemptions can protect confidential law-enforcement, investigative, personal and other information.
Rhode Island warrant information
Rhode Island does not operate one unrestricted public statewide webpage containing every active arrest or bench warrant.
If the warrant is associated with a known case, review the Judiciary docket and contact the appropriate court clerk when necessary.
Rhode Island District Court states that if a defendant fails to appear after signing a notice to appear, the judicial officer can issue a bench warrant.
Rhode Island State Police also publishes selected wanted-person information through its Violent Fugitive Task Force, but that should not be mistaken for a complete statewide warrant index.
Rhode Island incarceration search
The Rhode Island Department of Corrections Incarceration Search is the official public tool for current Rhode Island correctional information.
Cranston, RI 02920
General information:
401-462-1000
Records & ID:
401-462-3900
Bail information:
401-462-2261
Rhode Island Sex Offender Registry
The Rhode Island Sex Offender Registry is managed by the Rhode Island State Police.
Use the official Rhode Island State Police Sex Offender Registry page to reach the public registry.
Registry contact: 401-764-5900 | RISOR@risp.gov
How to get Rhode Island criminal court copies and dispositions
If you need more than the online docket, contact the court clerk or Judicial Records Center depending on the age and storage location of the case.
The Judicial Records Center currently provides a specific mail procedure for a copy or disposition of a criminal record.
You can submit a copy of the BCI report or provide:
- defendant’s name
- date of birth
- date of arrest
- town where the arrest occurred
- charge
- telephone number
- self-addressed stamped envelope
| Record service | Current JRC fee |
|---|---|
| Criminal record copy / disposition by mail | $3 per offense |
| Self-service photocopy at JRC | $0.20 per page |
| Certified court-record copy at JRC | $3 per document |
Fees and payment rules can change. Confirm them before mailing a request.
Older Rhode Island criminal records: use the Judicial Records Center
The Rhode Island Judicial Records Center is the central repository for many semi-active, inactive and archival Judiciary records.
JRC
5 Hill StreetPawtucket, RI 02860
Phone:
401-721-2641
Courthouse hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Call first
The Judiciary strongly recommends calling before visiting because a specific file may remain at the original court, may have been temporarily returned there, or may be stored off-site.
If a file is in off-site storage, the JRC states that it requires approximately 24 hours’ notice to have the case transferred for viewing.
Official JRC information: Rhode Island Judicial Records Center .
Key Rhode Island criminal court locations
| Location | Address / contact | Criminal-record relevance |
|---|---|---|
| Licht Judicial Complex |
250 Benefit Street Providence, RI 02903 Superior Court: 401-222-3250 |
Houses Supreme Court and Providence/Bristol Superior Court functions. |
| Garrahy Judicial Complex |
One Dorrance Plaza Providence, RI 02903 District Court Clerk: 401-458-5400 |
Providence/Bristol District Court criminal proceedings and public terminal access. |
| Kent County District Court |
222 Quaker Lane Warwick, RI 02886 |
District Court matters for Kent County. |
| Newport County District Court |
45 Washington Square Newport, RI 02840 |
District Court matters for Newport County. |
| Washington County District Court |
4800 Tower Hill Road Wakefield, RI 02879 |
District Court matters for Washington County. |
| Judicial Records Center |
5 Hill Street Pawtucket, RI 02860 401-721-2641 |
Older, inactive and archived criminal court records. |
Rhode Island Supreme Court criminal appeals
Rhode Island’s Supreme Court is the state’s highest court. Public case information is available through the Rhode Island Judiciary Public Portal.
The Court also publishes opinions, orders and summaries of certain pending argued cases. If a criminal conviction was appealed, review the Supreme Court record before relying only on the Superior Court judgment.
Rhode Island Supreme Court
Licht Judicial Complex250 Benefit Street
Providence, RI 02903
Clerk: 401-222-3272
Published opinions: Rhode Island Supreme Court Opinions .
Rhode Island juvenile criminal records
Juvenile matters are not treated like ordinary adult criminal records. The Rhode Island Attorney General states that its BCI unit does not have access to juvenile records and processes background checks only for people age 18 or older.
Juvenile matters are handled through Rhode Island Family Court and are subject to confidentiality and access rules that differ from adult criminal cases.
Rhode Island expungement and sealing
Rhode Island provides procedures for qualifying people to ask a court to expunge or seal certain criminal records.
The Judiciary explains that Title 12, Chapter 1.3 of the Rhode Island General Laws provides procedures for qualifying offenders seeking expungement of felony or misdemeanor convictions.
Separate procedures also exist for people who were acquitted or otherwise exonerated.
File in the court where the case was handled
Use the appropriate District, Superior or Family Court expungement/sealing form.
Complete the motion and affidavit
The forms request case, charge, disposition and police-agency information relevant to the motion.
Provide required notice
Judiciary instructions require at least 10 days’ notice of the hearing to the Attorney General and the police department that charged the case.
Satisfy outstanding financial conditions
If the motion is granted, qualifying fines, fees, costs, restitution and assessments generally must be paid or waived before the process is completed.
Deliver certified orders to the required agencies
Judiciary guidance says the clerk prepares three certified copies: one for you, one for BCI and one for the charging police department. The defendant is responsible for delivering the agency copies.
Official forms and guidance: Rhode Island Judiciary Expungement Information .
Federal criminal records in Rhode Island
Rhode Island state court searches and state BCI reports do not replace federal criminal-record systems.
Federal prosecutions in Rhode Island are filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island.
Use PACER for federal court case information.
A person who wants a fingerprint-based copy of their own FBI Identity History Summary should use the official FBI Identity History Summary Check .
Rhode Island criminal-record search tips that save time
Start with the Judiciary Portal
It is the quickest official way to identify a public Rhode Island court docket.
BCI is not the court file
A dismissed case can appear in the court history even though it is excluded from the current BCI report.
Felony? Check Superior Court
District Court commonly handles the initial felony arraignment before the case moves forward.
Need documents? Go beyond remote access
Courthouse terminals give ordinary public users broader public electronic access than the remote portal.
Older case? Call JRC first
The file may still be at the original court or held off-site, so confirm its location before visiting Pawtucket.
Use the $3 disposition option
For older records, the Judicial Records Center’s criminal disposition request can be more useful than a vague name search.
Recent arrest? Ask the agency
Police or State Police records can exist before or separately from later court activity.
Do not use APRA for the case file
Rhode Island Judiciary specifically says APRA is not the normal mechanism for obtaining court case files.
Check final disposition
Do not stop at an arrest, original charge or first docket entry.
Rhode Island criminal records: frequently asked questions
1. Can I search Rhode Island criminal court cases online?
Yes. The Rhode Island Judiciary Public Portal provides remote public access to case docket or register-of-actions information. Courthouse public terminals provide broader access to eligible public electronic case information.
2. Is the Rhode Island Judiciary Public Portal the same as a BCI?
No. The Judiciary Public Portal is a court-case information system. A BCI is a formal Rhode Island state criminal-history report issued by the Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation.
3. How much does a Rhode Island state BCI cost?
The Rhode Island Attorney General currently charges $5 for a standard state background check. In-person users need accepted photo identification and a credit or debit card; mailed requests have separate payment and notarization requirements.
4. What does a Rhode Island BCI show?
The Attorney General says the current state BCI reflects fingerprint-supported Rhode Island arrests that resulted in a conviction or equivalent disposition or that remain pending prosecution. It covers both misdemeanor and felony matters.
5. Does a Rhode Island BCI show dismissed charges?
The Attorney General states that arrests ending in dismissal, acquittal, no true bill or no Information are not included in the current state BCI report. Sealed and expunged records are also excluded.
6. Does a Rhode Island BCI include other states or federal cases?
No. The standard Rhode Island state BCI covers Rhode Island records and does not include federal arrests or arrests outside Rhode Island. A separate fingerprint-based national check is used for legally authorized purposes.
7. Where can I find old Rhode Island criminal cases?
Start with the Rhode Island Judiciary Public Portal and then contact the Judicial Records Center at 5 Hill Street in Pawtucket if the file is old or inactive. Call before visiting to confirm where the file is stored.
8. How much does the Judicial Records Center charge for a criminal disposition?
The Judicial Records Center currently lists a $3 fee per offense for a mailed criminal record copy or disposition. Its on-site self-service photocopy rate is $0.20 per page and certified records are currently $3 per document.
9. Can Rhode Island criminal records be expunged?
Yes. Rhode Island law provides expungement and sealing procedures for qualifying cases. Eligibility depends on the case, disposition, prior history and other statutory conditions.
10. Do Rhode Island criminal record searches include federal cases?
No. Rhode Island state court and BCI systems do not replace federal case searches. Use PACER for federal court cases and the FBI Identity History Summary process when reviewing your own FBI record.
Official Rhode Island sources used for this guide
- Rhode Island Judiciary — Access to Case Information
- Rhode Island Judiciary — Public eServices
- Rhode Island District Court
- Rhode Island Superior Court
- Rhode Island Supreme Court
- Rhode Island Attorney General — Get a Background Check
- Rhode Island Attorney General — Bureau of Criminal Identification
- Rhode Island State Police — Public Records / APRA
- Rhode Island Secretary of State — Accessing Public Records
- Rhode Island Department of Corrections — Incarceration Search
- Rhode Island State Police — Sex Offender Registry
- Rhode Island Judiciary — Judicial Records Center
- Rhode Island Judicial Records Center — Policies, Copies and Criminal Dispositions
- Rhode Island Judiciary — Expungement Information
- PACER — Federal Court Case Search