legal

Evidence in Rhode Island Domestic Violence Cases

How survivors can organize documentation for Rhode Island court matters.

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EVIDENCE AND DOCUMENTATION

Using Evidence in Domestic Violence Cases

Examples of Evidence

Evidence can take many forms and may include:

Photographs or videos showing injuries or property damage
Text messages, emails, or social media communications
Audio recordings of threats or abusive language
Medical records or police reports
Witness statements or affidavits

Safe Storage of Evidence

Keeping evidence secure and private is important. Consider:

Saving digital files on password-protected devices or secure cloud services
Keeping physical documents in a safe or trusted location
Making multiple copies in case one is lost or damaged

Some may choose to have a trusted person hold copies to reduce risk.

Use of Evidence in Legal Cases

Evidence can support:

Protection orders (PO) to show patterns of abuse or threats
Custody or visitation cases, especially when safety is a concern
Criminal cases when seeking charges or during prosecution

Each legal context has different rules about what evidence is accepted and how it must be presented.

Warning About Recording

Recording conversations or interactions without consent may be restricted or illegal depending on the location. It is important to understand local laws before making recordings.

Using recordings as evidence may not be allowed if they were made unlawfully.