§ 12-28-5 - Civil judgment against defendant. - Rhode Island Statutes

SECTION 12-28-5

   § 12-28-5  Civil judgment againstdefendant. – (a) Upon his or her final conviction of a felony after a trial by jury, a civiljudgment shall automatically be entered by the trial court against thedefendant conclusively establishing his or her liability to the victim for anypersonal injury and/or loss of property that was sustained by the victim as adirect and proximate cause of the felonious conduct of which the defendant hasbeen convicted. The court shall notify the victim at his or her last knownaddress of the entry of the civil judgment in his or her favor and inform himor her that he or she must establish proof of damages in an appropriatejudicial proceeding in order to recover for his or her injury or loss. Thissection shall not apply to crimes set forth in title 31 arising from theoperation of a motor vehicle.

   (b) For the purposes of this section, "victim" is one who hassustained personal injury or loss of property directly attributable to thefelonious conduct of which the defendant has been convicted. In homicide cases,judgment shall enter for the benefit of those parties eligible to commence awrongful death action pursuant to chapter 7 of title 10.