In Vanni v. Vanni (1988) and Ruffel v. Ruffel (2006) the Rhode Island Supreme Court outlined the three step process that a Rhode Island Family Court Judge must use to determine equitable division of assets in a divorce.
It is well established in Rhode Island that “[t]he equitable-distribution process requires three steps. First, the trial justice must determine which of the parties’ assets are marital property and which are nonmarital property. Second, the trial justice must consider the factors enumerated in § 15-5-16.1. Third, he or she must distribute the marital property.” Vanni v. Vanni, 535 A.2d 1268, 1270 (R.I. 1988).
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