§ 15-5-14 - Return day of petitions – Notice – Issuance of process – Time of hearing.
SECTION 15-5-14
§ 15-5-14 Return day of petitions –Notice – Issuance of process – Time of hearing. – (a) The court may, by general rule, determine the return day of petitions fordivorce and prescribe the notice to be given, within or without the state, onall petitions, and may issue any process that may be necessary to carry intoeffect all powers conferred upon it in relation to the petitions; and the courtmay also, by general rule, fix the times, during its session, when allpetitions for divorce shall be heard, as they may be filed in Providence,Newport, East Greenwich, or South Kingstown, respectively. These general rulesshall, be subject to special orders which the court may make in special cases.Until general rules are made, special order in each case shall be made.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of thissection, no petition for divorce or separation shall be in order for hearinguntil after the expiration of sixty (60) days after the filing of the petition,unless sooner ordered, ex parte, by a justice of the family court. During thisperiod the family counseling service may investigate the circumstances at thediscretion of the court, or at the request of either party, counsel theparties, and make recommendations to the court and the parties.