(a)  For purposes of this section, “immediate family members” means a spouse and any dependent children of the victim as well as a person who is related to the victim whether by blood, adoption or marriage, as any of the following: father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister, grandfather, grandmother, grandson, granddaughter, father-in-law, mother-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, stepfather, stepmother, stepson, stepdaughter, stepbrother, stepsister, half-brother, half-sister, stepgrandmother or stepgrandfather.

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Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 12-28-11

  • Bail: Security given for the release of a criminal defendant or witness from legal custody (usually in the form of money) to secure his/her appearance on the day and time appointed.
  • Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.

(b)  In addition to any other rights given to victims of crimes under this title, the immediate family members of the victim of any homicide shall be afforded reasonable written or oral notification from the office of the attorney general of the pendency of a bail hearing, pretrial, trial or disposition relating to a party accused of the homicide, and that notice shall be provided at least forty-eight (48) hours prior to the hearing, pretrial, trial or disposition. The notification provided by this section shall be required only as to those immediate family members who have filed a request with a court which has asserted jurisdiction over the accused/defendant. The attorney general shall promulgate forms to effect the request.

History of Section.
P.L. 1996, ch. 409, § 1; P.L. 1998, ch. 431, § 1; 12-28-12.