Current through February 2024 · Last verified July 8, 2026
In one sentenceRule 58 governs how and when a judgment becomes official in Rhode Island Superior Court, requiring every judgment to appear on its own signed document and specifying who enters it after a verdict, by the parties' agreement, or by Supreme Court order.
(a)After Trial or Hearing. Subject to the provisions of Rule 54(b):
(1)Upon a general verdict of a jury, or upon a decision by the court that a party shall recover only a sum certain or costs or that all relief shall be denied, the clerk, unless the court otherwise orders, shall forthwith sign and enter the judgment without awaiting any direction by the court; or
(2)Upon a decision by the court granting other relief, or upon a special verdict or a general verdict accompanied by answers to interrogatories, the court shall promptly approve the form of the judgment, and the clerk shall thereupon enter it.
Every judgment shall be set forth on a separate document. A judgment is effective and shall be deemed entered when so set forth and signed by the clerk. Entry of the judgment shall not be delayed for the taxing of costs. Attorneys and self-represented litigants shall submit forms of judgment upon direction of the court.
(b)By Agreement. Subject to the provisions of Rule 54(b) the clerk, without awaiting any direction by the court, may enter judgment for a sum certain or denying relief upon agreement or submission in writing by the parties or their attorneys of record, except when any party is an infant or incompetent person.
(c)Upon Order of Supreme Court. The clerk shall enter any judgment specifically directed by the Supreme Court.
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 58 tells the clerk when and how to enter a judgment so a case has an official, dated ending point. After a jury returns a general verdict, or the court rules that one party recovers only a sum certain, costs, or nothing at all, the clerk enters judgment right away without waiting for further instruction from the court. When the court grants some other kind of relief, or the jury returns a special verdict or answers to interrogatories, the court first approves the form of the judgment, and only then does the clerk enter it.
Every judgment must appear on its own separate document, signed by the clerk. That signature and entry — not the court’s oral ruling or written opinion — is what makes the judgment effective, and the clerk cannot hold up entry just because costs have not yet been calculated. Attorneys and self-represented litigants submit proposed judgment forms when the court directs them to.
Rule 58 also lets parties enter judgment by their own written agreement or submission, without further court involvement, when the judgment is for a sum certain or denies relief — unless a party is a minor or an incompetent person. And when the Supreme Court directs entry of a specific judgment, the clerk enters it as ordered.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does a judgment take effect in Rhode Island Superior Court?
A judgment takes effect once it is set forth on its own separate document and signed by the clerk. Until that happens, the court’s decision on the merits is not yet a final, effective judgment for purposes of appeal or enforcement.
Can the parties enter judgment without asking the court to sign off?
Yes. When the judgment is for a sum certain or denies all relief, the parties or their attorneys can submit a written agreement or joint submission and the clerk will enter judgment without further direction from the court. This option is unavailable when a party is a minor or an incompetent person.
Does the clerk have to wait for the costs to be calculated before entering judgment?
No. Rule 58 says entry of the judgment cannot be delayed for the taxing of costs, so the judgment becomes effective even before the exact cost figure is finalized.
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. 58). 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:entry of judgmentwhen is a judgment enteredjudgment on separate documentjudgment by agreementclerk enter judgment rhode islandfinal judgment rhode island superior courtsupreme court directed judgment