Whenever any person shall be served with a copy of a writ by which he or she shall be sought to be charged as trustee of the defendant named in the writ, and the person shall appear and answer to the action or suit so commenced, as to whether he or she is or is not a trustee of the defendant, the court in which the action or suit is brought or may be pending shall determine whether the person so served, is properly chargeable as the trustee of the defendant; and if chargeable, to what extent.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 10-17-13