Which of the following is classified as an immediate family member under Rhode Island law?

In Rhode Island law, immediate family members typically include relatives who have a direct and close familial relationship defined by blood or marriage. Immediate family often encompasses parents, siblings, children, and sometimes grandparents or spouses depending on the context.

A stepbrother is classified as an immediate family member because they are considered part of the family due to the marriage of one of the biological parents. This relationship is recognized under the law as a close familial connection, showing that step-siblings share a household and familial support system even if they do not share biological parents.

In contrast, cousins, uncles, and brothers-in-law, while they may have familial connections, do not typically fall under the immediate family classification in legal contexts in Rhode Island. Cousins are considered extended family but not immediate, uncles do not have the same direct lineage, and brothers-in-law, while related by marriage, are not always included in the definition of immediate family due to the more distant relationship compared to that of step-siblings. Hence, the stepbrother is the correct answer in terms of being classified as an immediate family member under Rhode Island law.