Penalties for domestic assault in Rhode Island depend on the underlying offense and your prior record. A first-offense misdemeanor domestic assault carries up to 1 year in jail and fines, with a minimum 10-day sentence in some cases. Second offenses carry mandatory minimum jail time and longer maximum sentences. Felony-level domestic assault, including domestic assault by strangulation, can carry several years in prison. Convictions also trigger mandatory attendance at a Batterers Intervention Program, federal restrictions on firearm possession under the Lautenberg Amendment, and significant collateral consequences for employment, child custody, and immigration status. The 2026 HB8080 proposal would make a third domestic violence offense automatically a felony if enacted.
