Is Rhode Island a community property state?
No. Rhode Island is not a community property state. The court may assign to either spouse a portion of the other's estate after considering listed factors such as the length of the marriage and each spouse's contributions.[1]
What Rhode Island’s statutes say
Dividing property at divorce
The court may assign to either spouse a portion of the other's estate, and in deciding what to assign must consider factors listed in the statute.[1]
“the court may assign to either the husband or wife a portion of the estate of the other. In determining the nature and value of the property, if any, to be assigned, the court after hearing the witnesses, if any, of each party shall consider the following …”[1]
R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-5-16.1(a) · checked October 26, 2026
We didn’t find a statutory definition of marital or separate property in the Rhode Island text we read, so none is quoted here.
Not legal advice. Plain-English summaries of Rhode Island’s statutes as of the date shown on each, with the text quoted. Whether a particular asset is marital, community or separate depends on the facts, and courts apply the law case by case. Read the linked source or ask a lawyer licensed in Rhode Island.
More
Compare nearby states
- Connecticut · equitable distribution
- Massachusetts · equitable distribution
Sources
Rhode Island’s statutes, read on the official site (or an official court source where the line says so), with the date we checked them.