(a) Mode of Review. When a statute provides for review by the Superior Court of any action by a governmental agency, department, board, commission, or officer, whether by appeal or petition or otherwise or when any judicial review of such action was heretofore available by extraordinary writ, proceedings for such review shall be instituted by the filing of a complaint and any other required documents together with the fees prescribed by law with the court. The complaint shall include a concise statement of the grounds upon which the plaintiff contends he or she is entitled to relief, and a demand for judgment for the relief the plaintiff seeks. No responsive pleading need be filed unless required by statute or by order of the court.
Rule 80.Review of Administrative Action.
Current through February 2024 · Last verified July 8, 2026
In one sentenceRule 80 governs how a party seeks Superior Court review of a decision by a government agency, department, board, commission, or officer, by filing a complaint rather than the extraordinary writ once used for that kind of review.
Full Text of Rule 80
(b) Time Limits — Notice. The time within which review may be sought shall be provided by law. A copy of the complaint shall be served upon the governmental agency, department, board, commission or officer, and upon all other parties to the proceeding to be reviewed in the manner provided by Rule 5.
(c) Trial or Hearing. These rules, so far as they are applicable, shall govern the review proceedings. Trial of facts where provided by statute or otherwise shall be without jury unless the constitution of the State of Rhode Island or a statute gives the right to trial by jury. The judgment of the court shall affirm, reverse, or modify the decision under review as provided by law.
XII. GENERAL PROVISIONS
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 80 tells a party how to get Superior Court review of a decision by a government agency, department, board, commission, or officer, whenever a statute allows that review — whether the statute calls it an appeal, a petition, or something else — or where judicial review used to be available only through an extraordinary writ. Review now starts with filing a complaint, along with any other required documents and the fees the law prescribes. The complaint has to concisely state the grounds for relief and demand the judgment the plaintiff wants, and no responsive pleading is required unless a statute or a court order calls for one.
The deadline for seeking review comes from the statute that authorizes it, not from Rule 80 itself. A copy of the complaint has to be served on the agency, department, board, commission, or officer, and on every other party to the proceeding under review, the same way papers are served under Rule 5.
These rules govern the review proceeding as far as they fit. Facts are tried without a jury unless the Rhode Island constitution or a statute grants a jury right for that kind of review, and the court's judgment affirms, reverses, or modifies the decision under review as the law provides.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I ask the Superior Court to review a government agency's decision?
File a complaint, along with any other required documents and the fees the law prescribes, rather than a petition for an extraordinary writ. The complaint has to concisely state the grounds for relief and demand the judgment sought.
How long do I have to seek review of an administrative decision?
Rule 80 doesn't set the deadline itself — the time within which review may be sought comes from the statute that authorizes that particular review.
Am I entitled to a jury when challenging an agency decision in Superior Court?
Not unless the Rhode Island constitution or a statute specifically grants a jury trial right for that review. Otherwise the facts are tried without a jury, and the court affirms, reverses, or modifies the decision under review.
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. 80). 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: appealing an agency decision to superior courtjudicial review of administrative action in rhode islandchallenging a board or commission rulingextraordinary writ replaced by a complaintreview of a state agency decisionadministrative appeal procedure in rhode island