Rhode Island § 8-8-15 - District Court

§ 8-8-15. Chief, deputy, and assistant clerks.

(a) There shall be a chief clerk of the district court. In the month of April of 1971 and in each fifth year thereafter, the chief judge of the district court, with the advice and consent of the senate, shall appoint the chief clerk of the district court who shall hold office until the first day in April in the fifth year next after his or her appointment and until his or her successor is appointed and qualified. In case of a vacancy in the office of clerk of the district court, from any cause, the chief judge of the district court, with the advice and consent of the senate, shall appoint some person to fill the vacancy for the balance of the unexpired term and until his or her successor is appointed and qualified. In case of the death, resignation, absence, inability, or refusal to serve of the clerk, the chief judge may appoint a clerk pro tempore, who shall hold his or her office until the clerk shall have returned or the inability shall have been removed or another clerk shall have been appointed to fill such a vacancy and shall have qualified.

(b) The chief judge of the district court shall appoint a deputy clerk for each division and assistant clerks in the various divisions of the district court to serve at his or her pleasure. All such clerks and the chief clerk may administer oaths within the state.

(c) The clerks of the court shall devote their full time to their duties. They are not required to be members of the bar of this state, but if a member of the bar of this state is appointed a clerk, he or she shall not practice law during his or her term in office nor shall he or she be a partner or associate of any person engaged in the practice of law.

(d) The chief judge of the district court shall have the power to authorize, with the power to revoke such authorizations, the chief clerk, the deputy clerks, and the assistant clerks of the district court to set and take bail on all complaints bailable before a division of the district court to the same extent and with the same authority as is granted to justices of the peace authorized to set and take bail by § 12-10-2. The authorizations and revocations shall be recorded with the secretary of state. District court clerks may exercise the authority granted by the chief judge under this section only during the normal working hours of the clerk’s office to which they are assigned. This authority shall be exercised without fee.