R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-9-8
In case any owner of or person having an estate in or interested in the land shall fail to receive personal notice of the taking of the land, and shall fail to file his or her petition as provided in § 16-9-7, the court in its discretion may permit the filing of the petition subsequent to the period of one year from the filing of the description and statement; provided, the person shall have had no actual knowledge of the taking of the land in season to file the petition; and provided, the town, after the filing of the description and statement, shall not have paid any other persons claiming to own the land the price or value of the land, or be liable to pay for the land under any judgment rendered against the town under the provisions of §§ 16-9-5 to 16-9-8.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-9-8