Penalties for domestic assault in Rhode Island depend on the underlying offense and prior record. A first-offense misdemeanor domestic assault carries up to 1 year jail and fines, with a minimum 10-day sentence in some cases. Second offenses carry mandatory minimum jail and longer maximums. Felony-level domestic assault including domestic assault by strangulation can carry years in prison. Convictions trigger mandatory Batterers Intervention Program attendance, federal firearm restrictions under the Lautenberg Amendment, immigration consequences for non-citizens, and significant impact on child custody and divorce proceedings.
