General

All legal papers, including but not limited to summonses, complaints, and subpoenas, directed to the University of Rhode Island or the University of Rhode Island Board of Trustees should be served pursuant to the applicable rules of procedure on the Office of General Counsel at Green Hall, Room 103, 35 Campus Avenue, Kingston, RI 02881.

The Office of General Counsel generally cannot accept service of process on behalf of any individual in their individual capacity.

For questions relating to service of process, contact OGC-service-request-group@uri.edu or:

Receipt of Legal Papers by University Employees

If an employee is asked to accept service of a subpoena or a summons and complaint on behalf of the University of Rhode Island or the University of Rhode Island Board of Trustees, they should decline and inform the process server to bring the documents to the Office of General Counsel at Green Hall, Room 103, 35 Campus Avenue, Kingston, RI 02881.

If an employee accepts service of such documents accidentally, or receives any legal papers (including but not limited to summonses, complaints, subpoenas, and other legal notices, such as class action and bankruptcy notices) by mail, they should immediately scan and email those papers to the OGC at OGC-service-request-group@uri.edu. These documents are generally time sensitive and failure to alert OGC can result in adverse legal consequences. Please include the following in the initial communication to the OGC:

• The name and position title of the individual who received the papers;
• How the papers were received;
• On what date the papers were received; and
• Whether the individual/department that received the papers has any information and/or documents relevant to the matter.

If an employee is served with legal papers directed to them individually and would like to inquire whether legal representation is available, they should follow the OGC New Matter Onboarding Protocol.

Access to an Individual’s Own Records

A subpoena is generally not required where individuals are seeking access to their own records.

Employees seeking access to their employment records should contact the Office of Human Resource Administration.

Students seeking access to their own education records should refer to the University’s FERPA procedures as set out in the Student Handbook.

Record Requests Pursuant to the Rhode Island Access to Public Records Act

Any individual seeking access to public records pursuant to the Rhode Island Access to Public Records Act should refer to the University’s Public Records Request Guidelines, available at https://www.uri.edu/about/public-records/.

OGC Guidance 02 (1-22)