Rhode Island

Grade: B

Rhode Island has a good anti-SLAPP law. It was enacted in 1995.


Jurisdiction	Statute or Case Law?	Any Forum?	Any Public Issue?	Mandatory Attorney Fees/Costs?	Additional Burden?	Amendment After Grant?	Amendment While Pending?	Immediate Appeal?
Rhode Island	R.I. Gen. Laws section 9-33-1 – 9-33-4 (1995)	Y	Y	Y		?	Y	?

R.I. GEN. LAWS §§ 9-33-1 – 9-33-4 (1995)

Any statement made before or submitted to a government body, in connection with issue under review by government body, or made in connection with issue of public concern, is conditionally immune from civil claims unless said petition or free speech constitutes a sham.

R.I. GEN. LAWS § 9-33-2(d) provides for a SLAPPBack. It provides that a court shall award compensatory damages and may award punitive damages upon a showing by the prevailing party that the responding party’s claims, counterclaims, or cross claims were frivolous or were brought with an intent to harass said party or otherwise inhibit said party’s exercise of its right to petition or free speech under the United States or Rhode Island Constitution.

Rhode Island SLAPP Stories:

Featured

Apr 9, 2016

TwoTen sues six over Facebook comments

Apr 9, 2016

A Rhode Island restaurant filed a lawsuit against six people who posted to the restaurant’s Facebook page alleging the oysters served at the restaurant were stolen from a local “shellfisherman.” A lawyer for one of the defendants called the lawsuit a "SLAPP” suit intended to silence his client.