Title LI, Courts

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 …

I. A small claim is any right of action not involving the title to real estate in which the debt or damages, exclusive of interest and costs, does not exceed $10,000. II. Any person may file a small claims action as provided in this chapter, unless trial by jury is claimed by the…

I. Any person who is a party to a small claim action may, at least 5 business days prior to trial, request of the district or municipal court that a sound recording be made of all proceedings in the trial. If such a request is made, the person making the request for the recording…

I. Notwithstanding RSA 311:11, and to the extent not inconsistent with court rules, an officer, employee, partner, owner or trustee, as applicable, of a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or trust who presents written authorization and who is not an attorney but…

I. Attachments and levies of execution on personal property and real estate may be made on judgments in small claims actions in district courts as provided in RSA 511, RSA 528, and RSA 529. II. A judgment entered in accordance with this chapter may be secured against real estate …

RSA 511-A shall not apply to the litigation of small claims under this chapter.

There is hereby established a simple, speedy, and informal procedure which a plaintiff or his authorized attorney may pursue in an action commenced before a justice of a district or municipal court for the determination of a small claim. Such procedure shall be alternative and no…

I. Any attorney appearing in a small claims action on behalf of a party shall file an appearance with the court and shall provide copies of that appearance to all opposing parties at least 7 days prior to the hearing date. II. The court shall give notice of the requirement to fil…

An action on a small claim may be commenced by filing an application in the district or municipal court having jurisdiction. The application may be filed by a person or his authorized attorney and shall set forth a statement of the claim, including the names of the parties involv…

The statement of the claim shall be filed with the clerk of a municipal court in the town in which the defendant or the plaintiff resides. If there is no municipal court in the town in which the defendant or the plaintiff resides, the statement of the claim shall be filed with th…

The statement of the claim shall be filed with the clerk of a municipal court in the town in which the defendant resides. If there is no municipal court in the town in which the defendant resides, the statement of the claim shall be filed with the clerk of the district court in w…

I. The clerk shall receive the entry fee for the use of the state and shall pay the postage for mailing the statement to the defendant required in RSA 503:6. II. The sum of $5 shall be added to each entry fee collected in the district courts for small claims actions in which the …

I. The court shall cause notice of the claim and the substance thereof to be given to the defendant, whether or not the defendant is a resident of this state, by sending a written statement to the defendant by postpaid first class mail, addressed to the defendant at the defendant…

At the hearing, the technical rules of evidence shall not apply but the justice may admit any evidence he deems material and proper. Judgment shall be entered for the prevailing party and, if the plaintiff recovers, his costs and interest shall be awarded to him in addition to th…

All proceedings subsequent to the rendition of judgment shall follow existing practice and procedure.

The findings of fact by the justice hearing the claim shall be final, but questions of law may be transferred to the supreme court in the same manner as from the superior court.

In this chapter: I. "Commissioner" means the commissioner of corrections. I-a. "Lifetime supervision" means a sentence under the provisions of RSA 632-A:10-a, V(a). I-b. "Lifetime supervision conditions" means the restrictions and limitations established by the court or the depar…

Probation and parole officers fully funded by the state shall be assigned or reassigned to geographical regions within the state in consonance with the duties to be accomplished. They may be assigned any duties determined appropriate by the commissioner. The commissioner shall as…

The powers and duties of probation or parole officers shall be: I. To serve as officers of the court and to investigate at the request of any court, the parole board, or the commissioner any case, matter, or question, whether pending or not, and to report the results of such inve…

Every probation-parole officer shall meet the educational and training standards for employment as a probation-parole officer as established by the police standards and training council under RSA 106-L:6, and shall be certified by the council as being qualified to be a probation-…

I. The court shall establish a supervision fee for probationers, and the parole board shall establish a supervision fee for parolees. The fee shall not be less than $40 a month, unless waived in whole or in part by the court, board or commissioner, and may be any greater amount a…

The computerized motor vehicle files under the control of the commissioner of safety relative to probationers and parolees who have been convicted of felonies or misdemeanors shall reflect their status so that inquiring law enforcement officers shall be advised of the probation o…

I. Every person placed on probation or parole shall be assessed by the department of corrections, using a valid and objective risk assessment tool, to determine that person's risk of recidivating. Based on that assessment, the person shall be designated as low, medium, or high ri…

Under RSA 651-A:25, probationers or parolees may be transferred for supervision and control between states which are signatories to a compact entered into under that section. New Hampshire probationers and parolees whose supervision has been transferred to other states are subjec…

The authority that placed a person on probation or parole may terminate the probation or parole at any time.

I. Any probationer or parolee may be arrested without warrant at any time by any probation or parole officer, or any other officer authorized to arrest upon request of a probation or parole officer, when the probation or parole officer has reason to believe that the probationer o…

Any probationer or parolee who is arrested under the authority of RSA 504-A:4 or RSA 651-A:25 shall be detained at the county jail closest to the location where he or she was arrested or any other suitable confinement facility in reasonable proximity to the location where he or s…

The facts and circumstances surrounding the arrest and detention of any probationer or parolee shall be expeditiously reviewed at a preliminary hearing meeting the due process requirements of federal law.

The department of corrections may transfer supervision of a probationer or parolee from one probation or parole officer to another at any time.

State probation and parole officers shall be appointed by the commissioner under the rules of the division of personnel, consistent with the funding provided for full and part-time probation and parole officers.