Title 12
Criminal Procedure

Chapter 27
Adjudication of Obscene Publications

R.I. Gen. Laws § 12-27-4

§ 12-27-4. Restraining order.

When an order of notice is issued pursuant to § 12-27-3, the court may issue a temporary restraining order against the sale, exhibition, or commercial distribution of the book, print, picture, film, motion picture film, magazine, pamphlet, ballad, printed paper, written material, photograph, figment, or other material alleged to be obscene; and in that event, the matter shall be heard on the question of whether or not the book, print, picture, film, motion picture film, magazine, pamphlet, ballad, printed paper, written material, photograph, figment, or other material is obscene one day after the joinder of issue, and the court shall render a decision within forty-eight (48) hours of the conclusion of the hearing. If, in the event that a restraining order is issued, no hearing on the question of obscenity is commenced within one day after the joinder of issue through no fault of the respondent, or within forty-eight (48) hours of the conclusion of the hearing no decision is rendered by the court, the restraining order shall expire and it shall not be renewed. In determining the time periods set forth in this section, Saturdays, Sundays, and court holidays shall not be counted, and the court shall not be required to hear matters on those days.

History of Section.
P.L. 1963, ch. 68, § 1; P.L. 1966, ch. 257, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 11-31.1-4; P.L. 1981, ch. 300, § 1.