R.I. Gen. Laws § 12-27-1: Authority of attorney general.

Whenever the attorney general has reasonable cause to believe that a person is engaged in the sale, exhibition, or commercial distribution of any obscene book, print, picture, film, motion picture film, magazine, pamphlet, ballad, printed paper, written material, photograph, figment, or other material, the attorney general may institute a proceeding in the superior court in the county in which the sale, exhibition, or commercial distribution of the book, print, picture, film, motion picture film, magazine, pamphlet, ballad, printed paper, written material, photograph, figment, or other material occurs for an adjudication of the obscenity of the book, print, picture, film, motion picture film, magazine, pamphlet, ballad, printed paper, written material, photograph, figment, or other material.