The justice shall forthwith issue a citation to the creditor, if within this state, or if the creditor does not live within this state, then to his or her agent or attorney of record within this state, or if he or she has no agent or attorney, then to the creditor without the state, to appear at the time and place as the justice shall appoint, to show cause, if any he or she have, why the person complaining as provided in § 10-13-1 should not be admitted to take the poor debtor's oath.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 10-13-3