(a)  Whenever any person notifies a corporation that it intends to commence a civil action against the corporation, it shall be the duty of the corporation to inform the person of its correct corporate name, its state of incorporation, its business address as designated in its state of incorporation, its registered agent and the address of its registered agent within fourteen (14) days of receipt of the notification. If the corporation is aware that a subsidiary or affiliate is a proper party to the civil action, the corporation shall also provide the correct name and address of the subsidiary or affiliate.

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Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 9-1-49

  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6
  • Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.

(b)  Whenever a corporation is served with a complaint it shall notify the plaintiff within twenty (20) days of service of its correct corporate name, its state of incorporation, its business address as designated in its state of incorporation, its registered agent, and the address of its registered agent, and if the corporation is aware that a subsidiary or affiliate is a proper party to the civil action, the corporation shall also provide the correct name and address of the subsidiary or affiliate. Failure of the corporation to so notify the plaintiff shall result in a defense on these issues being waived by the corporation, and the corporation shall be estopped from asserting that the complaint failed to identify the corporation by its correct corporate name, or that the corporation is not a proper party to the civil action.

History of Section.
P.L. 1988, ch. 99, § 1; P.L. 1999, ch. 66, § 1.