New Hampshire Court Records

The New Hampshire Courts are organized according to the cases that falls under the jurisdiction of the particular court. The different courts of New Hampshire include Probate Courts, Superior Courts, District Courts and the Supreme Court. Each of the first three types of courts have specific jurisdiction over cases while the New Hampshire Supreme Court acts as the supreme authority over them all. New Hampshire Court Record is available from a number of online sources, including governmental and non-governmental websites.

New Hampshire Probate Court deals with cases involving individuals and families as well as property disputes. The cases that fall under their jurisdiction include wills and estates, trusts, adoptions, guardianship of debilitated persons, name changes, guardianship of minors, partition of property, termination of rights of parental guardianship, and involuntary admissions. The rules of Probate Courts were amended in 2003 and this amendment has brought about efficiency in the court case proceedings. Five full time and five part-time judges work on the probate cases. The counties covered are:

• Full-time judges serve the counties of Hillsborough, Belknap, Rockingham, Merrimack and Strafford.
• Part-time judges work in the counties of Cheshire, Carroll, Grafton, Coos and Sullivan.

The New Hampshire Superior Court is the Trial Court of the state. Initially this was handled by the Supreme Court but this changed when the legislature established the Superior Court in April 1901. It is the only court where jury trials are provided. The Superior Court handles both criminal and civil cases. The categories of cases dealt with are as follows:

• Misdemeanors (directed from the District Courts)
• Civil cases (where the claims are above the $25,000 limit)
• Felonies (including theft, burglary, drug abuse and sexual assault)
• Contracts, Negligence, Real Property Rights and such other civil issues (at least $ 1,500 claim)
• Domestic violence, divorce, custody and support

New Hampshire Courts at the Superior level has 11 locations, with one in each county, except Hillsborough County which has two. The number of fulltime judges working at the Superior Court is 26. The Governor appoints the judges; however the majority of the Executive Council has to approve of the Governor's appointment. The judges work till they reach the age of 70.

The jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of New Hampshire extends over appeals cases from the trial courts of the state as well as the cases from administrative agencies. The errors in court proceedings are rectified; case laws, federal and state constitutions and statutes are interpreted; and the administration of the courts is done by the New Hampshire Supreme Court. Issuance of writs of prohibition, writs of certiorari, habeas corpus, and such others is also done by the Supreme Court. Apart from the Chief Justice, four judges are at the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is located at Concord and it is the only Court of Appeal in the state.

All court records of New Hampshire are accessible for public use. Online sources like PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) offer all details of the court cases filed in the state.