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New Hampshire’s court system features five primary judicial venues and an all-new branch of legal services to provide arbitration and mediation of disputes outside the traditional courtroom setting.

New Hampshire Supreme Court

The New Hampshire Supreme Court is composed of a chief justice (presently John T. Broderick Jr.) and four associate justices who sit in the state capital of Concord and provide New Hampshire’s only appellate court.

The New Hampshire Superior Court has jurisdiction to hear appeals from the state trial courts and from numerous state administrative agencies. It also has original jurisdiction to issue writs of certiorari, prohibition and habeas corpus, among other writs. The duties of the Supreme Court include correcting errors in trial court proceedings, interpreting case law and statutes, and interpreting both the state and federal constitutions.

The superior court also administers all of the state’s lower courts.

Some cases are sent to the Supreme Court on “mandatory appeal.” These include all timely appeals of decisions by the family, district, probate and superior courts. The high court has discretionary jurisdiction – meaning it can choose not to accept the case – in matters such as administrative appeals, interlocutory appeals and transfers, petitions for original jurisdiction (such as a petition for writ of habeas corpus) and appeals from the trial courts in a few particular types of cases.

In either case – mandatory or those accepted on discretionary appeal – the Supreme Court will determine whether it will render a decision based only on a transcript of the lower court’s proceedings and briefs written by the lawyers, or whether it will schedule oral arguments on the case. Whichever process is followed, the court eventually will issue and publish an opinion.

Online resources for the Supreme Court include: an oral arguments calendar; a list of accepted cases; a link to Supreme Court orders and “3JX final orders;” and a link to the court’s slip opinions, which are provided for involved parties to review prior to their publication.

New Hampshire Superior Court

New Hampshire's Superior Court system is a statewide court of general jurisdiction providing jury trials in both civil and criminal matters. There are 11 Superior Court venues in the state, one for each county except for Hillsborough County, which has two.

Links also are available for court and contact information in the superior courts of Belknap, Carroll, Cheshire, Coos, Grafton, Merrimack, Rockingham, Strafford and Sullivan counties.

NH Superior Court was established by the state legislature in 1901 when two courts were organized to take the place of the New Hampshire Supreme Court as it then existed. The change created a Supreme Court comprised of a chief and four associate justices who were given jurisdiction over appeals, while the Superior Court was given jurisdiction over trials. The system allowed for a separate body, the Supreme Court, to hear appeals made by the state’s trial courts.

There are now 26 full-time judges, or justices, serving Superior Court throughout New Hampshire. Superior Court justices are appointed by the governor, with the approval of a majority of the state Executive Council, and the judges can hold office until age 70.

New Hampshire District Courts

The courts that serve as New Hampshire’s “community court” system are the District Court venues. Operating in 36 cities and towns, District Court venues handle all juvenile matters, domestic violence cases, misdemeanor offenses, small claims, landlord-tenant disputes and all other civil matters. When the District Court system was created, the New Hampshire legislature wanted to ensure that these more commonplace matters and cases were heard by courts located no more than 20 miles from the people they served.

There are 19 full-time District Court judges, and another 50 part-time judges.

District Court in New Hampshire has been the site of a number of progressive initiatives to find better ways to deal with the complex issues facing families, especially those involving domestic violence and the abuse and neglect of children. For cases requiring a guardian ad litem (a court advocate for children), a list of such contacts also is made available.

New Hampshire Probate Court

New Hampshire's Probate Court has jurisdiction over a variety of cases including trusts, wills and estates, adoptions, name changes, guardianship of incapacitated individuals, guardianship of minors, termination of parental rights, partition of property and involuntary admissions to the medical or mental health system.

Each county has its own Probate Court. Five full-time judges cover Belknap, Hillsborough, Merrimack, Rockingham and Strafford counties. Five part-time judges serve in Carroll, Cheshire, Coos, Grafton and Sullivan counties.

Family Division

The Family Division of New Hampshire’s court system operates in 16 locations statewide, serving six counties: Belknap; Carroll; Coos; Grafton; Rockingham and Sullivan. The family Division was expanding to Merrimack County in spring 2007, and into Strafford, Hillsborough and Cheshire counties at later dates. Court location is determined based on where the involved parties reside.

Family Division courts handle cases involving divorce and parenting actions, child support, domestic violence petitions, guardianship of minors, termination of parental rights, abuse and neglect cases, children in need of state services, juvenile delinquency and some adoptions.

New Hampshire Office of Mediation and Arbitration

New on July 1, 2007, is the Office of Mediation and Arbitration. Its mission is to manage, develop and oversee all of the court system’s alternative dispute resolution programs.

The law establishing the office authorizes the judicial branch to develop programs intended to: increase citizen satisfaction with the legal system; provide affordable justice; reduce protracted and repetitive litigation; empower participants to make decisions affecting their future; enhance court efficiency; and institute dispute resolution processes.

The office also serves as a resource to alternative dispute resolution professionals, including mediators, arbitrators, neutral evaluators and parent coordinators.

Contact lists are maintained for mediators in Superior Court, Family Division, Probate Court and Small Claims. A list of neutral evaluators for marital matters also is available.

United States Bankruptcy Court - District of New Hampshire

New Hampshire Supreme Court - The Appeal process and judicial duties of the New Hampshire Supreme Court.

Superior Court of New Hampshire - The Superior Court holds jurisdiction over criminal cases, civil cases and domestic relations.

New Hampshire Probate Court - The probate court oversees trusts, wills, estates, name changes, adoptions, guardianships, termination of parental rights and partition of property.

New Hampshire Family Division Courts - The Family Division handles divorces, parenting actions, child support, guardianships, termination of parental rights, abuse cases, some adoptions and juvenile delinquency.

New Hampshire Popular Cases - Site provides information on cases for the public and media that is in the form of downloadable PDF files.

New Hampshire Self-Help - Self-Help Center for individuals who are representing themselves in a New Hampshire court.

New Hampshire Courts Law Library - Offering resources such as free online library catalog search, history of the library and courts, collections and additional services.

New Hampshire Administrative Office of the Courts - The responsibilities of the Administrative Office of the Courts is to lend their services to the courts including assisting jurors, litigants, witnesses and attorneys.