Rhode Island Real Estate Lawyer Blog

For homes located between two towns, homeowners will often struggle with water service rights. Sometimes, neither town will claim responsibility to provide the landowners with water and other natural resources. However, owners can bring what is called a “friendly lawsuit” against a city, in order to speed along the process of providing water to residents.…

Divorce and parentage settlements and orders in Rhode Island often contain provisions for the parents to split private school or other childcare expenses that are incurred by a parent while the child is under the age of 18. Divorcing parents may also agree to share expenses for children after they reach the age of majority,…

Agreements and plans to develop real property into commercial or residential real estate are often reliant on several conditions being met before the agreement can be fully executed and construction begins. Developers must often obtain financing, zoning rights, and natural resources clearance before constructing a development. When unexpected or unforeseen obstacles to any of these…

After a party fails to manage their property accordingly, a real estate dispute may involve the court-ordered appointment of a temporary receiver who steps in to manage the property on that party’s behalf. The Rhode Island Supreme Court recently issued an opinion in a real estate case involving condominiums and a receivership. The court addressed…

Municipalities, states, and even the federal government have the right to force the sale of a property to recover unpaid taxes or other fees from the property owner. Property owners who may face a tax sale should be given sufficient notice and the opportunity to pay back what is due before a sale takes place.…

Custody-related agreements and changes can be a tricky legal landscape to navigate, especially when the parties disagree and children are involved. For example, if one parent wants to alter the terms of the couple’s custody agreement by moving to a new state with their child, the alteration of the couple’s agreement could be subject to…

Municipalities in Rhode Island use zoning laws to encourage specific types of buildings and businesses to prosper in certain areas of the municipality. Specifically, cities can use zoning districts to exclude certain uses and types of construction from areas of a city that have been reserved for a specific use as part of a larger…

When larger parcels of land are subdivided into smaller parcels and lots for development, access easements and rights of way are important to preserve the marketability of the land. If certain lots do not have desirable access, they may not be suitable for construction. Buyers of private land should ensure that any easements for roadway…

Divorces and custody cases in Rhode Island can be some of the most contentious and protracted proceedings that are heard by state courts. The intense emotion and resentment between parties in family law disputes often lead cases down a dark road where the best interests of any children at issue seem distant from the actual…

Rhode Island family courts are often placed in the difficult position of determining whether it is in the child’s best interests to place them in foster care or an adoptive home when the natural parent still desires a parent-child relationship with the child. At-risk children are usually first discovered by the Rhode Island Department of…