| Chapter 139 |
| 2021 -- S 0735 Enacted 07/03/2021 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- COURTS -- COURT ADMINISTRATION |
Introduced By: Senators Coyne, and Lombardi |
| Date Introduced: March 26, 2021 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Chapter 8-15 of the General Laws entitled "Court Administration" is hereby |
| amended by adding thereto the following section: |
| 8-15-2.1. Powers of the chief justice to ensure court operations. |
| (a) The chief justice of the supreme court may, by order, take any action necessary to ensure |
| the continued and efficient operation of the courts of the unified judicial system. Such necessary |
| actions may include, but are not limited to: |
| (1) Establishing alternative locations to conduct judicial business in the event that one or |
| more court locations cannot be utilized; |
| (2) Enlarging, extending, tolling, or suspending any filing, appeal, or other applicable |
| deadline or statute of limitation in the event of the closure or curtailment of court operations or |
| other circumstances as is necessary, in the opinion of the chief justice, to ensure the fair |
| administration of justice; |
| (3) In the event of a court closure or curtailment of court operations, suspending any |
| judicial business that is deemed not essential by the chief justice; and |
| (4) Taking any other appropriate action necessary to ensure that judicial business is |
| effectively conducted by the courts of the unified judicial system for the duration of the order. |
| (b) Any order of the chief justice closing or curtailing the operation of any court within the |
| unified judicial system and setting forth the necessary response(s) thereto shall specify: |
| (1) The nature, time period, and duration of the circumstances giving rise to the order; |
| (2) The court(s) and court location(s) affected by the order; |
| (3) The action(s) to be undertaken to redress the circumstances giving rise to the order; and |
| (4) Any other relevant information needed to effectively respond to the circumstances |
| giving rise to the order and ensure the continued and efficient operation of the unified judicial |
| system for the duration of the order. |
| (c) The order closing or curtailing the operation of any court within the unified judicial |
| system shall be limited to an initial duration of not more than thirty (30) days; provided, however, |
| that the order may be modified or extended for additional periods of thirty (30) days each at the |
| discretion of the chief justice. Any modification or extension of the initial order shall contain the |
| same information required for the issuance of the initial order pursuant to subsection (b) of this |
| section. |
| (d) In the event that the office of the chief justice is vacant, or the chief justice is unable, |
| by reason of illness or absence, to perform his or her duties, the associate justice of the supreme |
| court having precedence who is present and qualified, as determined by ยงยง 8-3-2 and 8-3-3, shall |
| have the power to issue an order under this chapter. |
| SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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| LC001877 |
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