Title LI, Courts

Each circuit court district division shall have jurisdiction to commit to jail, or bind over with sufficient sureties to the superior court, all persons charged with offenses exceeding its jurisdiction to try, and any directly related misdemeanor or violation level offenses, comm…

I. Exclusive Jurisdiction. All district courts shall have original and exclusive jurisdiction of civil cases in which the damages claimed do not exceed $1,500, the title to real estate is not involved and the plaintiff or defendant resides within the district. In all such actions…

In cases in which the damages claimed exceed $1,500 or the title to real estate is involved, if the defendant, upon the entry of any action for damages under RSA 502-A:14, II or II-a, within 7 days of the return date of the action or within such additional time as the district co…

Actions shall be returnable to the district court of the judicial district where either plaintiff or defendant resides; except that actions arising under RSA 540, relative to actions against tenants, may also be returnable in the judicial district in which the real property in qu…

Venue in possessory actions concerning residential property brought pursuant to RSA 540 which are initiated in a judicial district other than that in which the defendant resides may be transferred as follows: I. In cases based on grounds other than nonpayment of rent, venue shall…

Attachments and levies of execution on personal property and real estate may be made in civil causes in said district courts as provided in RSA 511, 528 and 529.

In any criminal case or civil cause in any district court, questions of law may be transferred to the supreme court in the same manner as that from the superior court under RSA 491:17; provided that the district court justice hearing the case to be transferred shall, if either pa…

In any case in which a defendant may, pursuant to RSA 149-M:17, II, RSA 206:34, RSA 262:44, RSA 270:11-a, or RSA 227-G:5-a, enter a plea by mail in a district or municipal court, the following procedure shall be followed: I. Such defendant shall receive, in addition to his or her…

I. The purpose of the establishment of this system of district courts is to provide the minimum number of courts which will adequately serve the convenience of the public, both transient and permanent residents of this state. To accomplish this purpose, districts must serve certa…

Prosecutors appointed under the provisions of RSA 41:10-a are hereby empowered to represent the state in district courts in cases within the jurisdiction of said courts unless the prosecutorial jurisdiction over a particular case or class of cases is pre-empted by the county atto…

A district court justice designated to be full-time under RSA 491-A:3, IV shall not be permitted to engage in the practice of law to any degree. Full-time justices shall receive the salary specified in RSA 491-A:1. Full-time justices chosen pursuant to this section shall, when re…

A session of each district court for the trial of civil actions shall be held on some day of each month to be fixed by a rule of court and may be adjourned from day to day, or to a future day not beyond the next established session.

The justice of a district court shall wear an appropriate black judicial robe whenever his court is convened in criminal or civil session. Such robes shall be paid for by the state.

Writs and processes, issuing returnable to any district court, shall be in the name of the state of New Hampshire, shall be under the seal of the court, shall bear the teste of the justice, if not a party, otherwise of the special justice, and shall be signed by the clerk.

All writs and civil actions, except as otherwise provided, shall be served 14 days before the return day which they are returnable.

In civil causes to recover damages, the first Tuesday of every month shall be return day, except as otherwise provided, and writs may be made returnable at the election of the party who takes out the same, subject to the requirements for service, at any return day within 2 months…

Executions on judgments rendered in district courts shall not be issued until after the time for appeal has expired and shall be returnable within 90 days from the date of issue.

The district court, subject to the approval of the supreme court, shall establish retention and destruction schedules for those original files, papers and records in cases and matters disposed of by the court. The district court shall be responsible for the implementation of the …

The retention and destruction policy established by RSA 502-A:27-a shall provide for financial records to be retained for the current fiscal year and the preceding 5 fiscal years.

The district courts are hereby empowered to grant motions for summary judgment in accordance with the procedure prescribed in RSA 491:8-a.

Upon petition by any party the court may, in its discretion, allow said party to record the proceedings by any recording device. The recordings shall be made at the expense of the petitioner, except as provided under RSA 599:1-c for violations. If in a criminal proceeding the def…

A copy of each arrest warrant issued by a court shall be transmitted by computer to the division of state police. The state police shall make information regarding the warrant available to the arresting police department and all local police departments and sheriffs. In the eleve…

I. Fees as established by the supreme court under RSA 490:26-a shall be paid to the clerk of each applicable circuit court established in RSA 490-F for the benefit of the state. II. The clerk shall set aside 6 percent of each entry fee paid into the court for deposit into a speci…

For other certificates or papers which he or she is authorized to make or certify, the clerk of a circuit court shall receive the same fees as a clerk of the superior court.

Travel and attendance of parties and other costs and fees shall be allowed as in the superior court, except that the plaintiff shall be allowed no more travel than if he lived within 10 miles of the place of trial, unless he appears in person.

In the absence, inability or disqualification of the justice of a district court, the special justice shall perform the duties and exercise the powers of the justice.

The annual salaries of justices, special justices and clerks of the district courts shall be paid by the state as follows: I. The state shall pay the justices of the district courts either (a) salaries based upon weighted caseload as provided in RSA 491-A:3; or (b) their annual s…

Each justice of the district court retired therefrom by age limitation who has served on such court shall upon retirement become a referee. Such referees shall be empowered and may be assigned to act as such in the district courts, and their powers and the procedures for hearings…

The justices shall be entitled to receive their actual personal expenses when absent from their assigned court in the performance of their official duties. The justices shall not be reimbursed for mileage to commute from the justice's residence to their assigned court except for …

I. The clerk of the applicable circuit court established in RSA 490-F shall receive all fines and forfeitures paid into the district court from any source. The clerk of any circuit court may accept payment of the fine by credit card in lieu of cash payment. Any transaction costs …