Title LI, Courts

Written notice of an intention to rate or designate a court as "not accredited" shall be mailed by the commission to the presiding justice of the court, to the owner of the facility, if the owner is not the state, and to the person responsible for the maintenance and repair of th…

There shall be one general term of the supreme court in each year to be held in Concord for the purpose of hearing arguments, making orders, rendering decisions and filing opinions.

I. Parties who have already initiated a proceeding by filing a petition with the court may jointly request the court to stay future action in the matter so the parties may engage in a collaborative process for resolution of the matter. Before signing a participation agreement, th…

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of New Hampshire shall be accountable to the guardian ad litem board for complying with the training requirements established by the board under RSA 490-C:5, I(d) and for the actions of its volunteer members who are appointed by the court …

Beginning with a report due on or before January 1, 2026, the office shall prepare an annual report on the activities, expenditures, operation and outcome measures for the veterans court program. The report shall include the information provided by each county and shall be presen…

Beginning with a report due on or before January 1, 2018, the office of drug offender program coordinator shall prepare an annual report on the activities, expenditures, and outcome measures for the drug offender grant program, and the operation of drug courts or alternative drug…

I. Circuit court judges and masters shall be assigned to one or more circuits or locations in the discretion of the administrative judge of the circuit court after considering population, judicial time and efficiency, available judicial resources, and the needs of the public. II.…

I. The office of mediation and arbitration may establish a quality assurance program to support the administration of alternative dispute resolution programs in all courts. The program may include, but is not limited to: (a) Investigating and resolving complaints about alternativ…

I. The chief justice of the supreme court or, if the chief justice is unavailable, the most senior associate justice available, shall have the power, upon the request of the governor, attorney general, or the chief justice of the superior court or the administrative judge of the …

I. The administrative judge of the judicial branch family division, with the concurrence of the supreme court, shall recommend persons to the governor and council for initial appointment as marital masters. In recommending candidates for initial appointment as marital masters und…

During a collaborative law process, a court may issue emergency orders to protect the health, safety, welfare, or interest of a party; however, filing for such an order terminates the pending collaborative law process. Nothing in this section prohibits parties from exploring a re…

There is hereby established in the state treasury the veterans court special account. The funds may be comprised of public funds, gifts, grants, donations, or any other source of funds, and shall be used for any relevant veterans court administrative purpose deemed appropriate by…

I. Except as provided in paragraph II, the number of judges and masters in the circuit court shall not be less than the number of authorized judicial and master positions in the former district court, probate court, and judicial branch family division, as well as any superior cou…

Sessions of the court shall be held by at least 3 supreme court justices. A lesser number, or the clerk, if no justice attends, may adjourn the sessions from day to day until 3 justices attend. If one or more of the justices present is disqualified to sit in any case, one or more…

I. The terms of a collaborative law participation agreement shall be considered a binding contract and shall be enforceable by the trial court. II. Any agreements signed by the parties during the collaborative process are binding upon the parties in the same manner as they are in…

I. Nothing in this chapter shall limit the ability of retired judges under 70 years of age of the former district and probate courts or of the circuit court to elect senior active status or of such retired judges 70 years of age and older to serve as judicial referees pursuant to…

Questions of fact pending before the court may be heard and determined by one or more justices, or by a master or referee as the court may order.

I. Marital masters shall possess the following qualifications: (a) Professional experience in family law matters. (b) Legal and personal qualities including, but not limited to: (1) Knowledge of family matters, including related matters such as tax and pension law; (2) Personal m…

I. Beginning with notices of appeal filed on January 1, 2002, the supreme court shall make available to the public a record of cases pending before the court. The record shall be by calendar year, with the current year recording all cases filed with the court in that year. The re…

I. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph III, a collaborative lawyer is disqualified from appearing before a court to represent a party in a proceeding related to a collaborative matter, including related matters filed by third parties. II. Except as otherwise provided in par…

All recommendations of marital masters shall be signed by a judge. The judge signing such recommendations shall certify that he or she has read the recommendations and agrees that the marital master has applied the correct legal standard to the facts determined by the marital mas…

No judge or clerk of any division of the circuit court shall be retained or employed as an attorney in any action, complaint, or proceeding pending in a division of the circuit court or circuit court site in which that judge or clerk has been certified or assigned. No attorney as…

The superior court shall consist of a chief justice, appointed by the governor and council to a 5-year term, and 22 associate justices. Said justices shall be appointed and commissioned as prescribed by the constitution and shall exercise the powers of the court unless otherwise …

The salaries for the positions set forth below shall be as follows: Chief justice, supreme court $208,157 Associate justices, supreme court $201,895 Chief justice, superior court and administrative judges appointed pursuant to supreme court rule 54 $201,895 Associate justices, su…

The court, acting as a body, may from time to time establish rules and orders of practice, consistent with the laws, for conducting and regulating its business, and may prescribe forms of proceedings in all cases not provided for.

Upon petition by either party before or during any hearing or trial, the court may in its discretion allow said party to record the proceedings by any recording device. Said recordings shall be made at the expense of the petitioner and no fee shall be levied by the court against …

The court may issue writs of execution scire facias, and other proper process, upon judgments, records, and files of any court or justice required to be kept by the clerk of the court as records of his office, and may amend the same in like manner as if they had been originally r…

Scire facias may be issued in the superior court, upon judgments and other proceedings in municipal courts, when the amount of the judgment or other demand claimed, including costs and interests, exceeds the jurisdiction of said municipal court, upon attested copies of such judgm…

Causes which the court has authority to refer shall, as far as practicable, be tried by one or more justices of the court, unless one of the parties objects.

Suits in equity, petitions for divorce, nullity of marriage, alimony, custody of children, allowance to wife from husband's property, new trials, redemption and foreclosure of mortgages, writs of mandamus and quo warranto, and other similar proceedings may be heard upon oral test…

When the name of the defendant is unknown to the plaintiff, a bill in equity may be brought against him by a fictitious name, and it shall not for that cause be abated, but may be amended on such terms as the court may order.

The court or justice trying causes under RSA 491:13 and 491:14 shall, if either party requests it, give his decision in writing, stating the facts found and his rulings of law, which shall be filed and recorded.

In bills in equity, when issues are framed and tried by jury, the verdict or findings of the jury shall be advisory and may be modified or set aside if not satisfactory to found a decree upon.

Questions arising upon exceptions, upon a special verdict, an issue of law, motion for a new trial or in arrest of judgment, or other motion or proceeding, or upon a statement of facts agreed to and signed by the parties, may be reserved and transferred by the presiding justice, …

When a bill of exceptions is allowed, the court may stay execution upon the judgment rendered in the case, upon such terms and conditions as the court deems just.

Whenever any official or board is given the power to summon witnesses and take testimony, but not the power to punish for contempt, and any witness refuses to obey such summons, either as to his appearance or as to the production of things specified in the summons, or refuses to …

Upon the filing of a petition pursuant to RSA 491:19, the court or justice shall have authority to proceed in the matter as though the original proceeding had been in the court, and may make orders and impose penalties accordingly.

The superior court shall have and entertain jurisdiction of applications and other proceedings for the naturalization of aliens under any of the acts of congress in relation thereto.

I. Any person claiming a present legal or equitable right or title may maintain a petition against any person claiming adversely to such right or title to determine the question as between the parties, and the court's judgment or decree thereon shall be conclusive. The taxpayers …

In any petition under RSA 491:22 to determine the coverage of a liability insurance policy, the burden of proof concerning the coverage shall be upon the insurer whether he institutes the petition or whether the claimant asserting the coverage institutes the petition.

In any action to determine coverage of an insurance policy pursuant to RSA 491:22, if the insured prevails in such action, he shall receive court costs and reasonable attorneys' fees from the insurer.

The remedy of declaratory judgment to determine the coverage of a liability insurance policy under RSA 491:22, 22-a, and 22-b shall also be available in the United States district court for the district of New Hampshire when that court may properly adjudicate the matter under the…

I. Whenever a municipal official or individual member of a municipal board or agency, who is subject to good faith immunity under the provisions of RSA 31:104 or the common law of New Hampshire, is sued personally for money damages and the plaintiff alleges injury or damage resul…

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…

When the business of the superior court or circuit court requires it, and upon request of the chief justice of the superior court or the administrative judge of the circuit court, the chief or senior associate justice of the supreme court may, if not inconsistent with the proper …

I. For purposes of calculating the annual salaries of part-time district court justices appointed after July 1, 1987, the supreme court shall establish and revise as needed a weighted case value, relating the judicial time required for each type of case included in the court's ju…