R.I. Gen. Laws § 10-9.1-7
A record of the proceedings shall be made and preserved. All rules and statutes applicable in civil proceedings shall apply except that pretrial discovery proceedings shall be available only upon order of the court. The court may receive proof by affidavits, depositions, oral testimony, or other evidence and may, if deemed appropriate, order the applicant be brought before it for the hearing. If the court finds in favor of the applicant, it shall enter an appropriate order with respect to the conviction or sentence in the former proceedings, and any supplementary orders as to rearraignment, retrial, custody, bail, discharge, correction of sentence, or other matters that may be necessary and proper. The court shall make specific findings of fact, and state expressly its conclusions of law, relating to each issue presented. This order is a final judgment.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 10-9.1-7