R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-15-19
Whenever in any action for partition of real estate it is alleged or it appears that any person claims or may claim any right, title, or interest in the estate adversely or otherwise to any party to the action, the court before whom the action is pending may order that person to appear and make his or her claim in writing therein within such time as shall be prescribed by the order, or in default thereof to be forever barred from all right, title, interest, and claim in and to the estate or any part thereof, service of the order, actual or constructive, by publication or otherwise, to be made upon the person as the court shall direct; and the court may thereupon proceed, and, if the person does not appear as required by the order, may adjudge that he or she has no right, title, interest, or claim in or to the estate, or, whether he or she appears or not, may itself, in such manner as it deems proper, or by a jury upon issues framed for that purpose, try and determine what, if any, right, title, interest, or claim he or she has therein, and adjudge accordingly, and the judgment in either event shall be final.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-15-19