The State of Rhode Island has enacted administrative and legal methods for intervening in a parent’s parental and custodial rights if a child is being neglected or abused. Generally, the state Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) will be notified about the suspicion of child abuse or neglect, and…
Bilodeau Capalbo was engaged to handle an appeal of the decision from a RI Superior Court Adverse Possession trial. Bilodeau Capalbo was not trial counsel in this matter and were engaged to handle the appeal only. Bilodeau Capalbo partner Ryanna Capalbo successfully argued the RI Supreme Court appeal on behalf…
Most buyers of real estate in Rhode Island are well aware of the risks involved in purchasing property in the state. The seller of property does have obligations to notify a buyer of known defects, as well as to not defraud a buyer by knowingly misrepresenting the characteristics or conditions…
Perhaps you have heard the story of a person moving into an abandoned property and living there for a certain time, and being able to take legal ownership of the property from the previous owner. This may sound like either a fantasy or a nightmare, depending on whose perspective we…
All residential, commercial, and industrial properties in the state of Rhode Island are subject to zoning and permit requirements. From homeowners seeking to renovate their homes to large industrial developers planning a project worth tens of millions of dollars, anybody seeking to break ground on a construction project may be…
The real estate market in Rhode Island can be volatile. Changes in supply or demand, investors’ speculation, and broader economic factors can result in sudden changes in the market. Because the real estate market is always in flux, real estate agents often have the incentive to publish the most desirable…
Generally speaking, the addition or construction of improvements on real property will change the value of the property and the resulting property tax burden to the owner of said property. State lawmakers and regulators have sometimes modified this general rule to encourage specific types of development by offering tax discounts…
As one of the original 13 colonies that ultimately declared independence from Britain and became a U.S. state, Rhode Island is the home to thousands of historic buildings, many from the 19th and 18th centuries. Historic communal buildings, such as schools, municipal complexes, and churches, are often the last remaining…
Cities and towns across the state have established laws and regulations to preserve their general aesthetic. The Town of Providence has a rule prohibiting billboards and electronic billboards within municipal borders. Anyone who has been to providence could attest that there are most certainly both billboards and electronic billboards in…
Rhode Island law dictates what responsibilities landlords and tenants each have to maintain the property in a livable condition. The state of Rhode Island has published a landlord-tenant handbook that notes the relevant laws pertaining to these responsibilities. Damage caused to a rental home and the contents thereof may be…