Rhode Island Real Estate Lawyer Blog

Rhode Island has enjoyed a growing economy over the last several years. As cities and towns grow and development fill in the spaces of our small state, municipalities sometimes must compete with one another to encourage companies to choose their town for construction and development. Rhode Island law allows municipalities to offer tax exemptions to…

Rhode Island’s economy has strengthened over the last few decades, and the economic growth that accompanies such an economy requires various land uses to support economic development. Municipal zoning boards are tasked with determining if and how a certain construction or development project should be approved. Municipal zoning boards need to consider various interests when…

Municipal housing authorities in Rhode Island have been established to support the greater public good by protecting residents’ ability to live in affordable and safe housing. Because these administrative authorities are acting in furtherance of the public interest, state laws are designed in ways to allow public housing authorities to take possession of private land…

The work of administrative child protection agencies (colloquially called “Child Protective Services” but known as the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth, and Families in this state) can be some of the most difficult and emotionally taxing legal work imaginable. The DCYF is tasked with the difficult job of determining when a natural parent should…

The Rhode Island state government, as well as municipal governing bodies in the state, delegate many functions to administrative agencies to streamline the administration of government. Unlike legislative bodies or courts, which enact and interpret the law, administrative agencies are tasked with enforcing the law as written. Administrative agencies are heavily used in Rhode Island…

The recent rise in the popularity of sustainable and local agriculture has resulted in an increase in the number of chickens and other poultry that are being raised on residential properties in the last decade. Rhode Island state law allows for residents to raise poultry on their property, so long as the municipality and property…

When parents split up, custody and care of the children becomes an extremely important issue to resolve. Although some couples agree on custody, visitation, and support conditions for their co-parenting arrangement, court orders memorializing an enforceable agreement are usually necessary to ensure each party is held accountable to uphold their part of an agreement. Stipulated…

Property insurance policies are contracts entered into between an insurance company and an insured party. These contracts are usually drafted by the insurance company, and often contain provisions that appear innocuous but are included to benefit the insurance company at the expense of their client. The tremendous economic damage caused by the Covid-19 pandemic has…

When public utilities interfere with the private use of land, conflict is extremely common. Often, private landowners will be upset by development, construction, and utility work, as these activities can negatively affect the landowners’ comfort, safety, and property values. Members of the public may be able to successfully challenge municipal utility work or other construction…

Rhode Island zoning laws and regulations are designed to allow property owners and residents the most freedom in developing their properties while protecting neighbors, the public, the municipality, and the environment from the possible effects of development. As the culture and economy of coastal Rhode Island develop, some zoning laws and requirements are functioning to…