The Appellate Division is one of the more unique aspects of the Rhode Island Workers' Compensation Court. This court is the only tribunal in the Judiciary to have an intermediate Appellate Division to hear and decide appeals from the trial court.
The court's appellate panel is composed of three (3) members appointed by the Chief Judge of the court. The Appellate Division reviews the trial court's decisions in light of the legal and factual arguments presented to determine whether the decision should be sustained or reversed. The appellate panel may (a) sustain the decision of the trial judge and dismiss the appeal; (b) reverse the trial court and enter a new decree in accordance with their decision; or (c) reverse in part and modify the earlier decree.