490-F:1 Purpose. – The general court hereby organizes, constitutes, and establishes the New Hampshire circuit court. The goals of the circuit court are the respectful treatment of all individuals, the prompt and fair resolution of all issues within its jurisdiction, the use of alternative dispute resolution to reduce the adversarial nature of proceedings, the […]
490-F:10 Full-Time Circuit Court Judges. – A circuit court judge designated to be full-time under RSA 490-F:7, IV shall not be permitted to engage in the practice of law to any degree. Full-time judges shall receive the salary specified in RSA 491-A:1. Source. 2011, 88:1, eff. July 1, 2011.
490-F:11 Judicial Branch Budget Request. – For the purpose of calculating the biennial budget request and judicial salaries as well as the number of judicial positions required in the circuit court, the supreme court shall establish and revise as needed a weighted case value, relating the judicial time required for each type of case […]
490-F:12 Part-Time Judges; Salary Calculation. – The salary of judges who were part-time judges in the district and probate courts shall be calculated each year based on the weighted caseload of the former jurisdiction less any weighted values for case types that are no longer within the jurisdiction of the circuit court or judicial […]
490-F:13 Circuit Court Clerks; Appointment. – The administrative judge of the circuit court shall appoint a clerk with responsibility for each circuit court site. In the interest of the effective administration of justice, any such clerk may have responsibility for one or more circuit court locations. Circuit court clerks shall have the same duties […]
490-F:14 Staff. – The administrative judge of the circuit court shall identify a mechanism by which to assign and transfer existing staff in the probate and district courts and in the judicial branch family division to operate the circuit court. The number of circuit court staff shall be based upon a review of anticipated […]
490-F:15 Referees. – The circuit court, with the consent of the parties shall, and without the consent of the parties may, commit to one or more referees any cause at law or in equity, or the determination of any question of fact pending in the court wherein the parties are not, as matter of […]
490-F:16 Alternative Dispute Resolution. – Alternative dispute resolution shall be utilized in the circuit court when practicable to reduce the adversarial nature of proceedings. Source. 2011, 88:1, eff. July 1, 2011.
490-F:17 Existing Procedure Applicable. – All provisions of law, not inconsistent herewith, relating to procedure in civil or criminal matters and practice in the former probate and district courts and the former judicial branch family division shall remain in full force and apply to the circuit courts hereby established. Source. 2011, 88:1, eff. July […]
490-F:18 Statutory References. – During the implementation of the circuit court, references in statutes involving the jurisdiction of the circuit court to the probate or district courts or to the judicial branch family division shall be deemed to include the circuit court. Following the full implementation of the circuit court, those references shall be […]
490-F:19 Implementation Plan. – On the effective date of this chapter, the New Hampshire circuit court shall be operational based upon a plan of implementation developed by the administrative judge of the circuit court in consultation with and approved by the supreme court. Source. 2011, 88:1, eff. July 1, 2011.
490-F:2 Circuit Court; General. – The circuit court shall be a court of record with statewide jurisdiction. Each circuit court location shall have the authority to hear all cases within the subject matter jurisdiction of the circuit court. Subject to part 1, article 17 of the New Hampshire constitution, nothing in this chapter shall […]
490-F:3 Circuit Court Divisions. – The circuit court shall consist of 3 divisions: a probate division, a district division, and a family division. The circuit court shall have the jurisdiction, powers, and duties conferred upon the former probate and district courts and upon the former judicial branch family division by RSA 547, RSA 502-A, […]
[RSA 490-F:3-a effective January 1, 2024.] 490-F:3-a District Division; Criminal Cases. – Notwithstanding the jurisdictional provisions of RSA 592-B:1, the circuit court – district division shall have jurisdiction to arraign defendants charged with felony offenses and to hold a preliminary examination to determine whether probable cause exists to believe the offense was committed and […]
490-F:4 Circuit Court Locations. – The judicial districts for the district and family divisions shall be as set forth in RSA 502-A:1 and RSA 490-D:4, respectively, and each county shall be a judicial district for the probate division. The supreme court may, from time to time, establish other locations for each of the divisions. […]
490-F:5 Circuit Court Judges and Masters; Appointment; Tenure. – I. On the effective date of this chapter, the circuit court shall consist of those justices and masters previously appointed and commissioned by the governor and council as prescribed by the constitution and the laws of the state of New Hampshire. The tenure of office […]
490-F:6 Circuit Court Judges and Masters; Assignment; Certification. – 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. The […]
490-F:7 Circuit Court Judges; Number. – 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 court […]
490-F:8 Circuit Court Judges; Retired Judges. – 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 […]
490-F:9 Disqualifications of Judges. – 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 […]