R.I. Gen. Laws § 3-2-5
This is the official text of R.I. Gen. Laws § 3-2-5, part of Rhode Island’s Gen. Laws — part of the compiled statutory law of Rhode Island, published by the state as "Gen. Laws." Browse the sections below, each linked to its official government source.
Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
§ 3-2-5. Administration of oaths Subpoena power False swearing.
Official statutory text
(a) The superintendents of the bureaus of importation and inspection are authorized to administer oaths in matters on formal hearing before them and also in connection with any matter having to do with the performance of their duties.
(b) The department in all cases before it is authorized and empowered to summon witnesses by subpoena signed by the director of the department and to compel those witnesses to attend and testify in the same manner as in either the supreme or the superior courts.
(c) The department is authorized to compel the production of all papers, books, documents, records, certificates or other legal evidence that may be necessary for the determination and the decision of any question or the discharge of any duty required by law of the department, by issuing a subpoena duces tecum signed by the director. Any person who disobeys that writ is considered in contempt of the department, and the department may punish that and any other contempt of its authority in the same manner as contempts may be punished in either the supreme or the superior court.
(d) Any person who willfully swears falsely in any proceeding, matter or hearing before the department is guilty of the crime of perjury.
(b) The department in all cases before it is authorized and empowered to summon witnesses by subpoena signed by the director of the department and to compel those witnesses to attend and testify in the same manner as in either the supreme or the superior courts.
(c) The department is authorized to compel the production of all papers, books, documents, records, certificates or other legal evidence that may be necessary for the determination and the decision of any question or the discharge of any duty required by law of the department, by issuing a subpoena duces tecum signed by the director. Any person who disobeys that writ is considered in contempt of the department, and the department may punish that and any other contempt of its authority in the same manner as contempts may be punished in either the supreme or the superior court.
(d) Any person who willfully swears falsely in any proceeding, matter or hearing before the department is guilty of the crime of perjury.
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
Need a lawyer in Rhode Island?
Find a Rhode Island lawyer
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the
Open US Law dataset
(Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine
(Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.