State Codes and Statutes
Statutes > Rhode-island > Title-12 > Chapter-12-25 > 12-25-26SECTION 12-25-26
§ 12-25-26 Recovery from offender. –(a) Whenever any person is convicted of an offense and compensation is awardedunder this chapter or under the 1972 Act for a personal injury or deathresulting from the act constituting the offense, the state of Rhode Islandshall institute an action against that person for the recovery of the whole orany specified part of the compensation in the superior court of the state ofRhode Island in any county, or in the state or federal court of any other stateor district in which that person resides or is found, or make a finding inwriting, of the reasons why it is impractical or impossible to institute thataction. The office shall pursue the recovery whenever possible in order toprovide additional funds for the violent crimes indemnity account. Theadministrator shall develop rules and regulations pursuant to theAdministrative Procedures Act, chapter 35 of title 42, to identify those soconvicted, determine their ability to compensate the fund, and file whateveraction is appropriate to recoup those funds.
(b) Process of the superior court for any county in anyaction under this section may be served by the sheriff of the county. Wheneverit appears to the court in which any action under this section is pending thatother parties should be brought before the court in the action, the court maycause those other parties to be summoned.
(c) An order for the payment of compensation under thischapter or under the 1972 Act shall not affect the right of any person torecover damages from any other person by a civil action for the injury or death.
(d) An action instituted by the state of Rhode Island againstany person for the recovery of the whole or any specified part of thecompensation awarded under this chapter or under the 1972 Act shall becommenced within ten (10) years from the date compensation is awarded, and notthereafter.
