Court Opinion

ID: 9949384
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-03-11 15:11:01.506922+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:25:45.373881
License: Public Domain

Supreme Court

                                                   No. 2023-79-Appeal.
                                                   (PC 21-1072)

     Lourenco DoCouto                :

              v.                     :

Blue Water Realty, LLC, et al.       :

        NOTICE: This opinion is subject to formal revision
        before publication in the Rhode Island Reporter. Readers
        are requested to notify the Opinion Analyst, Supreme
        Court of Rhode Island, 250 Benefit Street, Providence,
        Rhode Island 02903, at Telephone (401) 222-3258 or
        Email opinionanalyst@courts.ri.gov, of any typographical
        or other formal errors in order that corrections may be
        made before the opinion is published.
                                                            Supreme Court

                                                            No. 2023-79-Appeal.
                                                            (PC 21-1072)

          Lourenco DoCouto

                   v.

    Blue Water Realty, LLC, et al.

             Present: Suttell, C.J., Goldberg, Robinson, and Long, JJ.

                                   OPINION

      Justice Robinson, for the Court. The plaintiff, Lourenco DoCouto,1 appeals

from a September 22, 2022 final order of the Superior Court, granting the motion to

dismiss filed by the defendants, Blue Water Realty, LLC (Blue Water) and Louis

Bachetti. The plaintiff contends before this Court that (1) the hearing justice erred

in determining that the doctrine of res judicata applied; (2) the hearing justice erred

in dismissing Mr. DoCouto’s 2020 complaint with prejudice for failure to have

timely served defendants; (3) the District Court did not have subject matter

jurisdiction over Mr. DoCouto’s equitable claims in the eviction proceedings; and

(4) the amount of compensatory damages sought by the plaintiff exceeded the

1
      We note that the record contains variations as to the spelling of Mr. DoCouto’s
last name. For the sake of consistency, we have opted to utilize the spelling
“DoCouto,” which is how his name was spelled in the complaints filed in the
Superior Court.

                                         -1-
$10,000 statutory maximum for District Court jurisdiction with respect to a case of

this nature.

      This case came before the Supreme Court pursuant to an order directing the

parties to appear and show cause why the issues raised in this appeal should not be

summarily decided. After considering the parties’ written and oral submissions and

carefully reviewing the record, we conclude that cause has not been shown and that

this case may be decided without further briefing or argument. For the reasons set

forth in this opinion, we affirm the judgment of the Superior Court.

                                          I

                                 Facts and Travel2

      This appeal involves property located at 389 Glenwood Avenue in Pawtucket,

Rhode Island (the Property). In both complaints filed in Superior Court (discussed

infra), plaintiff alleged that he purchased the Property in 2004 and that he later

transferred the Property to a “now revoked Rhode Island entity, Brava Properties,

LLC, in 2008.” According to plaintiff, Blue Water “attempted” to take title to the

Property in 2012 pursuant to a foreclosure sale. The plaintiff alleged that he filed

2
       We glean the facts primarily from the allegations in plaintiff’s 2021 complaint
and the documents attached to the motion to dismiss, all of which we assume to be
true for purposes of our review of a grant of a motion to dismiss under Rule 12(b)(6)
of the Superior Court Rules of Civil Procedure. See Nerney v. Town of Smithfield,
269 A.3d 753, 756 (R.I. 2022).

                                        -2-
for bankruptcy in 2012 to prevent Blue Water from being able to foreclose on the

Property. The plaintiff further alleged that, in October of 2012, he “entered into an

agreement entitled Residential Lease and Option to Purchase Agreement, which

among other things, gave the Plaintiff the option to purchase the [P]roperty for the

consideration of $136,000.00.” (Internal quotation marks omitted.) The plaintiff

alleged that his attempt to exercise said option was thwarted by defendants and that,

for that reason, he commenced an action in Providence County Superior Court in

2015 to compel the sale of the Property.

      The plaintiff alleged that a new option agreement, entitled “Option to

Purchase Agreement,” was signed in 2015. According to the complaint, the new

option agreement contained an agreed-upon sale price of $175,000, with a closing

date scheduled for November 18, 2016. It was plaintiff’s allegation that the closing

was postponed due to the “existence of minimum housing violations on record.”

However, according to plaintiff, the “title issues” were eventually resolved, but

defendants never allowed him to exercise his option regarding purchase of the

Property.

      The plaintiff further alleged that, during the period from 2012 to 2019, he and

defendant Louis Bachetti had a “separate agreement,” wherein plaintiff “provided

maintenance and property management services” at the Property as well as at other

                                        -3-
properties owned by Mr. Bachetti. The plaintiff alleged that Mr. Bachetti never paid

him for the services he rendered during that time period.

      In October of 2019, Mr. Bachetti, “as agent for Blue Water Realty LLC,” filed

a complaint for eviction in the Sixth Division of the District Court because Mr.

DoCouto had remained in possession of the rented premises, which were listed as

“389 Glenwood Avenue 3rd Floor,” subsequent to “the period set forth” in the notice

of termination of tenancy.      Thereafter, Mr. DoCouto filed an answer and a

counterclaim, which contained the following counts: (1) “breach of contract as to

exercise of option;” (2) “breach of contract re: maintenance and rent collection;” (3)

“fraudulent inducement;” and (4) “utility bills.”

      In the counterclaim, Mr. DoCouto requested that Mr. Bachetti be ordered to

comply with the terms and conditions of the Option to Purchase Agreement and that

the court compel the sale of the Property to him. The counterclaim further contended

that, in the event that Mr. Bachetti was unable or unwilling to sell the Property, Mr.

DoCouto should be allowed to remain on the Property and be compensated for

breach of the Option to Purchase Agreement. Additionally, Mr. DoCouto sought

payment for services allegedly provided by him to Mr. Bachetti, and he sought

permission to occupy the Property until said payment was made or Mr. Bachetti

“complie[d] with said Option to Purchase Agreement.”             Mr. DoCouto also

demanded that Mr. Bachetti be required to pay amounts owed to National Grid for

                                        -4-
electric utilities.   Moreover, Mr. DoCouto sought damages for unlawful and

fraudulent inducement. It was Mr. DoCouto’s assertion that “the jurisdiction and

equitable powers granted to [the District Court] by the Rhode Island Landlord-

Tenant Act allow it to issue equitable and monetary awards in excess of the normal

jurisdiction” amount.

       A non-jury trial took place on February 25, 2020; and, on that same day,

judgment entered in favor of Mr. Bachetti for possession and for damages in the

amount of $8,026. Moreover, Mr. DoCouto’s counterclaim was dismissed. On

February 28, 2020, the parties executed a stipulation, in which they agreed that: (1)

the execution on the judgment would be stayed until July 1, 2020; (2) Mr. DoCouto

would make three monthly rental payments of $1,300 (for the months of April, May,

and June of 2020); (3) Mr. DoCouto would execute a release of the lis pendens which

he had recorded on the Property; and (4) Mr. DoCouto would “waive any and all

claims past and present” against Mr. Bachetti. Mr. DoCouto did not appeal the

District Court judgment nor the dismissal of his counterclaim.

       In October of 2020, plaintiff filed a complaint in Providence County Superior

Court against defendants (the 2020 complaint). Although plaintiff’s 2020 complaint

indicated that he would be “sending a copy” of the complaint to defendants, it is

clear from the record that the complaint was in fact never timely served on

defendants.

                                        -5-
      On February 12, 2021, plaintiff filed a complaint, almost identical to the 2020

complaint, alleging the following four counts: (1) breach of contract as to the Option

to Purchase Agreement; (2) quantum meruit in relation to the services provided by

plaintiff; (3) unjust enrichment; and (4) fraud (the 2021 complaint).3 On April 21,

2022, defendants filed motions to dismiss Mr. DoCouto’s 2020 and 2021 complaints.

In their motions to dismiss, defendants contended that Mr. DoCouto’s 2020

complaint should have been dismissed for failure of service.            Additionally,

defendants asserted that both the 2020 and 2021 complaints were barred by the

doctrine of res judicata in that Mr. DoCouto’s claims had been heard and decided in

the eviction proceeding initiated by defendants in the District Court in 2019.

      A hearing on defendants’ two motions to dismiss took place in the Superior

Court on August 31, 2022. In support of their motions to dismiss, defendants

asserted that plaintiff’s Superior Court actions were barred by res judicata in that

the same parties and the same issues had been adjudicated in the eviction proceeding,

wherein the District Court entered final judgment in favor of Mr. Bachetti and also

dismissed Mr. DoCouto’s counterclaim. At the August 31, 2022 hearing in the

Superior Court, Mr. DoCouto, appearing pro se, contended: “I was evicted unfairly

without knowing what’s going on because I have a transcript from [the] beginning

3
      As discussed infra, Mr. DoCouto has filed a notice of appeal only as to the
2021 case.

                                        -6-
that my lawyer was talking to him without my knowledge.” At the August 31, 2022

hearing, counsel for defendants sought to explain the context as follows:

             “At the District Court hearing on the motion to release the
             lis pendens, Mr. DoCouto had made numerous allegations
             that [his attorney] and I basically conspired to ensure that
             the judgment remained in effect and he had no ability to
             vacate that judgment, or to file any motions to fight that
             judgment, or to proceed with his allegations that he’s the
             owner of the property.”

      As for the stipulation, counsel for defendants indicated that he wrote that

document and went through it line-by-line with Mr. DoCouto, explaining to him

what would happen when they went in front of the hearing justice. He added that he

explained to Mr. DoCouto “what the word execution means” and that “a piece of

paper * * * can be obtained to move you out if you do not vacate by this date, and

the date on that was July 1st * * *.”

      At the conclusion of the hearing, the hearing justice rendered a bench decision.

The hearing justice summarized the facts and travel of the case, emphasizing the

underlying February 2020 eviction proceeding, wherein judgment had entered in

favor of defendants with respect to Mr. DoCouto’s counterclaims. The hearing

justice further noted that Mr. DoCouto had not appealed the District Court’s

judgment to the Superior Court. The hearing justice proceeded to review plaintiff’s

allegations and to assess the arguments presented to the court.

                                        -7-
      Beginning with the 2020 Superior Court complaint, the hearing justice

determined that not only did Mr. DoCouto fail to make service upon defendants

within 120 days after the commencement of the action, but he further pointed out

that there was nothing in the record indicating that defendants had ever been served;

and he further observed that Mr. DoCouto did not show good cause for that failure

to make service. The hearing justice therefore dismissed the 2020 complaint because

of plaintiff’s failure to have timely served the complaint.

      The hearing justice next found that both the 2020 and 2021 complaints should

have been dismissed based on the doctrine of res judicata. The hearing justice first

reasoned that the parties in the eviction proceedings were the same or in privity with

the parties in the case before him. As to the issues, he found that Mr. DoCouto’s

counterclaim in the eviction proceedings had alleged the same facts and arose out of

the same transactions or series of transactions as those set forth in the 2020 and 2021

complaints. Lastly, the hearing justice ruled that the dismissal of Mr. DoCouto’s

counterclaim was an adjudication on the merits. The hearing justice also observed

that Mr. DoCouto had never appealed the rulings of the District Court—which, he

commented, further supported the fact that the “judgment of the District Court case

was final.” The hearing justice therefore determined that the “instant [c]omplaints

[were] barred under the res judicata doctrine.” Separate orders granting the motions

                                         -8-
to dismiss and ordering the release of the lis pendens were entered on September 22,

2022 in each case.

      Mr. DoCouto filed a timely notice of appeal of the order granting the motion

to dismiss the 2021 complaint. However, no notice of appeal was filed with respect

to the order granting the motion to dismiss the 2020 complaint. On March 24, 2023,

Mr. DoCouto, acting pro se, filed a statement pursuant to Article I, Rule 12A of the

Supreme Court Rules of Appellate Procedure, and defendants filed their Rule 12A

counterstatement on April 10, 2023. Shortly thereafter, Mr. DoCouto’s counsel

entered an appearance and filed a motion to submit an amended Rule 12A statement,

which motion this Court granted. Counsel for Mr. DoCouto filed an amended Rule

12A statement on June 13, 2023, and counsel for defendants filed a supplemental

Rule 12A counterstatement on August 4, 2023.

                                          II

                                  Issues on Appeal

      Mr. DoCouto argues on appeal that: (1) the hearing justice erred in

determining that the doctrine of res judicata applied; (2) the hearing justice erred in

dismissing Mr. DoCouto’s 2020 complaint with prejudice for failure to have timely

served defendants; (3) the District Court was without jurisdiction to pass upon Mr.

DoCouto’s counterclaim in the eviction proceedings; and (4) the amount of

compensatory damages requested by him “is in excess of $10,000, which exceeds

                                         -9-
the   amount    of   controversy    limit    of”   G.L.   1956   §   8-8-3(a)(1)   and

G.L. 1956 § 8-2-14(a).

                                            III

                                Standard of Review

      This Court has clearly stated that, “[i]n reviewing a hearing justice’s decision

with respect to a Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss, this Court examines the allegations

contained in the plaintiff’s complaint, assumes them to be true, and views them in

the light most favorable to the plaintiff.” Palazzo v. Alves, 944 A.2d 144, 149 (R.I.

2008). We have also made clear that the “sole function of a motion to dismiss is to

test the sufficiency of the complaint” and that the grant of a motion to dismiss is

“appropriate when it is clear beyond a reasonable doubt that the plaintiff would not

be entitled to relief from the defendant under any set of facts that could be proven in

support of the plaintiff’s claim.” Id. at 149-50 (internal quotation marks omitted).

      We have added that, if “matters outside the pleading are presented to and not

excluded by the court, the motion shall be treated as one for summary judgment and

disposed of as provided in Rule 56, and all parties shall be given reasonable

opportunity to present all material made pertinent to such motion by Rule 56.” Super.

R. Civ. P. 12(b); see Mokwenyei v. Rhode Island Hospital, 198 A.3d 17, 22 (R.I.

2018) (“[W]hen a motion to dismiss includes documents as exhibits that were either

mentioned or referred to in a complaint but not expressly incorporated, and the

                                        - 10 -
hearing justice does not explicitly exclude them from consideration, the motion

automatically converts to one for summary judgment.”) (internal quotation marks

and deletion omitted). However, “we have acknowledged a narrow exception for

documents the authenticity of which are not disputed by the parties; for official

public records; for documents central to plaintiffs’ claim; or for documents

sufficiently referred to in the complaint.” EDC Investment, LLC v. UTGR, Inc., 275

A.3d 537, 542-43 (R.I. 2022) (internal quotation marks omitted).4

                                        IV

                                     Analysis

      In Mr. DoCouto’s pro se Rule 12A statement, he contends that his complaint

should not have been dismissed based on the doctrine of res judicata. Specifically,

he asserts that, in the Superior Court, he brought an action against Mr. Bachetti

individually, as well as against Blue Water. Mr. DoCouto argues that Mr. Bachetti

was not a party to the eviction case in his individual capacity, contending that Mr.

Bachetti “brought the eviction case as agent for the LLC.” Additionally, Mr.

DoCouto avers that “there were not identical claims filed,” in that claims “based in

4
       The defendants appended three documents to their motions to dismiss: (1) the
eviction complaint; (2) Mr. DoCouto’s answer and counterclaim with respect to the
eviction complaint; and (3) the District Court judgment. We are satisfied that the
consideration of these documents by the hearing justice as part of his analysis was
appropriate, since the documents fall squarely within the narrow exception which
this Court has previously articulated.

                                       - 11 -
equity under Quantum Meruit and Unjust Enrichment” were brought in the Superior

Court but were not included in his counterclaim in the eviction proceedings in the

District Court.

      For their part, defendants maintain that Mr. Bachetti was an agent for Blue

Water and was therefore in privity with that entity. It is their position that this Court

should reject “Mr. DoCouto’s suggestion that his new Superior Court case somehow

evades the preclusive effect of the judgment and stipulation in his District Court

case.” The defendants contend that Mr. DoCouto’s “claims are barred, and the

Superior Court properly dismissed them.”

      The doctrine of res judicata “prohibits the relitigation of all issues that were

tried or might have been tried in the original suit * * *.” Bossian v. Anderson, 991

A.2d 1025, 1027 (R.I. 2010) (quoting Carrozza v. Voccola, 962 A.2d 73, 78 (R.I.

2009)); see also Apex Oil Company, Inc. v. State, by and through Division of

Taxation, 297 A.3d 96, 112 (R.I. 2023) (“Importantly, claim preclusion does not

require that the issue to be precluded has actually been litigated or necessarily

decided.”) (internal quotation marks, deletion, and brackets omitted). We have

stated that, “[i]n essence, the doctrine of res judicata serves as an absolute bar to a

second cause of action where there exists identity of parties, identity of issues, and

finality of judgment in an earlier action.” Bossian, 991 A.2d at 1027 (internal

quotation marks and brackets omitted); see Lennon v. Dacomed Corporation, 901

                                         - 12 -
A.2d 582, 590 (R.I. 2006) (“[R]es judicata or claim preclusion relates to the effect

of a final judgment between the parties to an action and those in privity with those

parties.”) (internal quotation marks omitted).

      Res judicata or “[c]laim preclusion will bar a second action if the following

three requirements are fulfilled: (1) the parties are the same or in privity with the

parties of the previous proceeding; (2) an identity of issues in both proceedings; and

(3) a valid final judgment on the merits has been entered in the previous proceeding.”

Apex Oil Company, Inc., 297 A.3d at 112 (internal quotation marks omitted). We

have also stated that, “[u]nder the concept of privity, a non-party may be bound by

a prior judgment if that party substantially controlled or was represented by a party

to the original action.” Commercial Union Insurance Company v. Pelchat, 727 A.2d

676, 680 (R.I. 1999). We have further stated that “[p]arties are in privity when there

is a commonality of interest between the two entities and when they sufficiently

represent each other’s interests.” Duffy v. Milder, 896 A.2d 27, 36 (R.I. 2006)

(quoting Commercial Union Insurance Company, 727 A.2d at 680). Moreover, the

transactional rule governs the preclusive effect of res judicata with respect to the

identity of issues. See BI Boat Basin Associations, LLC v. Sky Blue Pink, LLC, 242

A.3d 462, 466 (R.I. 2020). This Court has explained that “the transactional rule

provides that all claims arising from the same transaction or series of transactions

                                        - 13 -
which could have properly been raised in a previous litigation are barred from a later

action.” Bossian, 991 A.2d at 1027 (internal quotation marks omitted).

      In the case at bar, Mr. DoCouto’s argument pertaining to the identity of the

parties is unavailing. Mr. DoCouto’s own counterclaim filed in the eviction action

alleged that Mr. Bachetti purchased the Property “through various entities,” and

“eventually took possession of and currently holds said property in the name of Blue

Water Realty * * *.” Similarly, in his 2021 Superior Court complaint, Mr. DoCouto

alleged that “Louis Bachetti is the owner of the Co-Defendant Blue Water Realty,

LLC * * *.” Moreover, it is undisputed that Mr. Bachetti is the sole owner of Blue

Water. Mr. Bachetti’s sole ownership of and his agency relationship with Blue

Water very clearly signal that there is a commonality of interests between the two

parties and that they sufficiently represent each other’s interests. See Duffy, 896 A.2d

at 36. We are satisfied that nothing in the record suggests that Mr. Bachetti and

Blue Water were not in privity for res judicata purposes.

      As to the identity of issues, Mr. DoCouto’s argument that his 2021 complaint

included claims for unjust enrichment and quantum meruit, which were not asserted

in his counterclaim to the eviction proceeding, is similarly unpersuasive. When

comparing the almost identical facts alleged in Mr. DoCouto’s 2021 complaint and

his eviction counterclaim, it is evident that his unjust enrichment and quantum

meruit claims arose from the same transaction or series of transactions—viz., an

                                         - 14 -
option agreement involving the Property, services allegedly provided by Mr.

DoCouto to Mr. Bachetti, and allegations that Mr. Bachetti fraudulently induced Mr.

DoCouto to perform those services. Accordingly, it is our opinion that the hearing

justice did not err in determining that Mr. DoCouto’s claims were barred by res

judicata.5

      Mr. DoCouto additionally argues that the “Superior Court should not have

declared final [judgment] with prejudice on [his] Claim on the basis of res judicata.”

Specifically, Mr. DoCouto contends that “[a]s res judicata should not have been a

determinative factor to dismiss [his] Superior Court Claim, [his] Claim could only

have been dismissed on the grounds that Blue Water and Bachetti had not been

served within 120 days.” In sum, because Mr. DoCouto contends that the only

potential ground for dismissal would have been based on failure of timely service,

he now asserts that the hearing justice erred in dismissing his 2020 complaint with

prejudice for failure to have timely served defendants.

      The defendants contend that the question of whether the dismissal of the 2020

complaint should have been without prejudice has not been appealed to this Court.

5
      We note that Mr. DoCouto has not disputed that a final judgment was entered
in the eviction proceedings, the entry of such a judgment being one of the
requirements for the doctrine of res judicata to apply. We are aware, of course, that
Mr. DoCouto questions the “jurisdiction” of the District Court—an issue which we
address infra.

                                        - 15 -
We agree. Mr. DoCouto’s assertions relating to the 2020 complaint are not properly

before this Court due to the fact that he opted not to file a notice of appeal in that

case.

        In addition to his res judicata arguments, Mr. DoCouto argues in his amended

Rule 12A statement that the District Court did not have subject matter jurisdiction

over his equitable claims and that final judgment therefore did not properly enter on

what he contends was in effect a prayer for specific performance or a claim of

fraudulent inducement in the eviction action.6 Regarding the jurisdictional issue, we

need simply point out that the District Court’s equitable jurisdiction in

landlord-tenant matters is established by statute. General Laws 1956 § 34-18-9

provides: “The district or appropriate housing court of this state shall exercise

jurisdiction in both law and equity over any landlord or tenant with respect to any

conduct in this state governed by this chapter or with respect to any claim arising

from a transaction subject to this chapter.”7 (Emphasis added.) Because it is

6
       Although this issue was not raised below, we nevertheless will address it due
to the fact that Mr. DoCouto has challenged the subject matter jurisdiction of the
District Court in the eviction action. “Indeed, a challenge to subject matter
jurisdiction may not be waived by any party and may be raised at any time in the
proceedings.” E.T. Investments, LLC v. Riley, 262 A.3d 673, 676 (R.I. 2021)
(internal quotation marks and brackets omitted).
7
        Additionally, G.L. 1956 § 8-8-3.3 provides: “In addition to the powers
heretofore exercised, the district court is hereby empowered, in furtherance of its
jurisdiction under § 8-8-3(a)(2), to grant such orders, including temporary

                                        - 16 -
undisputed that the eviction action pertained to a lease agreement between Mr.

DoCouto and defendants regarding the Property where Mr. DoCouto was residing

when the eviction action was instituted (i.e., a classic landlord-tenant dispute) there

is no question that § 34-18-9 is applicable. And because § 34-18-9’s applicability

has been established, there is no question but that the District Court had the requisite

jurisdiction over Mr. DoCouto’s equitable claims.

      Lastly, Mr. DoCouto further contends that the District Court did not have

jurisdiction over his request for compensatory damages for services rendered

because the amount in controversy exceeded the $10,000 statutory limit relative to

District Court jurisdiction. This amount-in-controversy argument is unpersuasive.

General    Laws    1956     §   8-8-3(c)     provides   that   there   is   a   $10,000

amount-in-controversy limit for civil actions commenced in the District Court.

restraining orders, and preliminary and permanent injunctions as justice and equity
may require.” (Emphasis added.)
       A similar statute, § 8-8-3.1, grants equitable powers to the District Court in
housing matters in furtherance of its jurisdiction under § 8-8-3(a)(4). The general
grant of jurisdiction, located in § 8-8-3(a)(1), specifically refers to § 8-8-3.1 as an
exception to the general rule exempting equitable matters from the District Court’s
jurisdiction. Section 8-8-3(a)(1) does not contain a specific exception for § 8-8-3.3.
       In addition to these statutes, the language provided in G.L. 1956 § 34-18-9,
which confers jurisdiction “in both law and equity” upon the District Court with
respect to all landlord-tenant matters, and the language of § 8-8-3(a)(2), which
provides that the District Court shall have exclusive jurisdiction over all “actions
between landlords and tenants pursuant to chapter 18 of title 34 * * *,” buttress the
fact that the District Court’s equitable jurisdiction in landlord-tenant cases is not
limited.

                                           - 17 -
However, § 8-8-3(a)(2) provides that the District Court shall have exclusive

jurisdiction of all “actions between landlords and tenants pursuant to chapter 18 of

title 34 * * * notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (c) of this section.”

(Emphasis added.) Consequently, the statutory maximum set forth in § 8-8-3(c) has

no bearing on the District Court’s subject matter jurisdiction over landlord-tenant

cases such as this one.

      Accordingly, we perceive no error in the hearing justice’s grant of the

defendants’ motions to dismiss.

                                         V

                                    Conclusion

      For the reasons set forth in this opinion, we affirm the judgment of the

Superior Court. The record may be returned to that tribunal.

      Justice Lynch Prata did not participate.

                                       - 18 -
                                          STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
                                     SUPREME COURT – CLERK’S OFFICE
                                           Licht Judicial Complex
                                             250 Benefit Street
                                           Providence, RI 02903

                                 OPINION COVER SHEET

Title of Case                        Lourenco DoCouto v. Blue Water Realty, LLC, et al.

                                     No. 2023-79-Appeal.
Case Number
                                     (PC 21-1072)

Date Opinion Filed                   March 11, 2024

Justices                             Suttell, C.J., Goldberg, Robinson, and Long, JJ.

Written By                           Associate Justice William P. Robinson III

Source of Appeal                     Providence County Superior Court

Judicial Officer from Lower Court    Associate Justice R. David Cruise

                                     For Plaintiff:

                                     Stephen P. Levesque, Esq.
Attorney(s) on Appeal
                                     For Defendants:

                                     Thomas M. Dickinson, Esq.

SU-CMS-02A (revised November 2022)