Unless the parties otherwise stipulate and the court approves, the court shall seat a jury of six (6) and the verdict shall be unanimous.
Rule 48.Number of Jurors.
Current through February 2024 · Last verified July 8, 2026
In one sentenceRule 48 sets the size of a civil jury at six members and requires the verdict to be unanimous, unless the parties stipulate to something different and the court approves it.
Full Text of Rule 48
Amendment History
Rhode Island does not publish a per-rule amendment history inside the compiled rules text reproduced here. The text above is verified current through the source’s own February 2024 printing; for the underlying adopting orders and any later amendments, see the Rhode Island Judiciary’s compiled rules page.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 48 fixes the default civil jury at six people, and their verdict must be unanimous — every juror has to agree before the panel can return a verdict.
The rule allows a workaround: if the parties stipulate to something different, such as a different number of jurors or a less-than-unanimous verdict, and the court approves the arrangement, that governs the trial instead. Without that stipulation and approval, the six-person, unanimous-verdict default controls.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many jurors sit on a civil jury in Rhode Island Superior Court?
Six, unless the parties stipulate to a different number and the court approves the change.
Does a civil jury verdict have to be unanimous?
Yes. Rule 48 requires unanimity unless the parties have stipulated otherwise and the court has approved that stipulation.
Can the parties agree to a different jury arrangement?
Yes. The parties may stipulate to a different number of jurors or a non-unanimous verdict, but the court must approve the stipulation before it takes effect.
Source & verification. The rule text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Rhode Island Superior Court Rules of Civil Procedure (R.I. Super. Ct. R. Civ. P. 48). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Rhode Island (R.I. Gen. Laws § 8-6-2). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 8, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: six person jurycivil jury size Rhode Islandunanimous verdict requirementnumber of jurors in civil trialjury size stipulationunanimous jury verdict rule