Major Rhode Island courts that kept records of genealogical value were established as follows:

1647-1729	General Court was a statewide court with jurisdiction over civil and criminal matters. In 1671 it became the General Court of Trials. Many of the records of these courts are on microfilm at the Family History Library.
1730-pres.	Courts of common pleas were established in each county in 1730. They had jurisdiction over most local criminal and civil matters. The library has records of the court of common pleas for Newport and Washington counties.
1729-pres.	Superior Court of Judicature replaced the General Court of Trials. After 1747 several superior courts of judicature were established as countywide courts. The Family History Library has some of these records from 1729 to 1884.
1798-pres.	Supreme Judicial Court was created from the Superior Court of Judicature. This court became the Supreme Court in 1843. Many of these records are at the Providence College Archives, Phillips Memorial Library, River Avenue and Eaton Street, Providence, RI 02918. This archives is gathering pre-1905 court records. The library has copies of some of these records.
1790s-pres.	District courts have countywide jurisdiction over minor criminal cases.