Six cases from Rhode Island court history are presented in this document. The cases, dating from the time of Roger Williams to the 1970s, examine religious freedom, personal freedom, treason, robbery, murder, and drug possession. Each case is summarized and questions are supplied to help students understand crime and punishment in Rhode Island. A…

The first part of this document, designed for middle school students, describes the Rhode Island court system. A history of the court in Rhode Island, an explanation of courts and their jurisdictions, the jury, appointment and duties of judges, court personnel, and sentencing are explained. An appendix outlines the rights of crime victims, the…