New Hampshire Judicial Branch Presentation to House Finance - PDF document

New Hampshire Judicial Branch Presentation to House Finance January 15, 2013

State of New Hampshire Judicial Branch Presentation to House Finance Committee January 15, 2013 TAB 1 Overview of Judicial Branch TAB 2 Judicial Branch Org Chart TAB 3 Alternate Dispute Resolution TAB 4 Court Security TAB 5 Facilities • Judicial Branch Facilities • January 2013 Facilities Needs Report Judicial Positions TAB 6 Judicial Branch Budget Graphs TAB 7 • FY 2013 Adjusted Authorized Judicial Branch Budget in Relation to State Budget • Judicial Branch Budget FY 2013 Adjusted Authorized Revenue TABS • Unrestricted • Restricted 97% Budget Reduction Materials TAB 9 Judicial Branch Budget Request FY 2014-2015 TAB 10

Purposes of Courts To do individual justice in individual cases. 1. To appear to do justice in individual cases. 2. To provide a forum for the resolution of legal 3. disputes. To protect against the arbitrary use of government 4. power. To make a formal record of legal status. 5. To deter criminal behavior. 6. To rehabilitate persons convicted of crime. 7. To separate persons convicted of serious offenses 8. from society.

Sources of Law • Administrative Rules • Constitutions and Regulations • Statutes • Administrative • Case Law-trials Adjudications and appeals • Executive Orders • Common Law • Local Ordinances

Constitutional Authority • Part 2, Article 72-0 of NH Constitution - judicial power vested in suprem e and superior courts and such lower courts as the legislature m ay establish • Part 2, Article 73-0 of NH Constitution - chief justice of suprem e court is the adm inistrative head of all the courts

Statutory Authority • Supreme Court - RSAchapter 490 • Superior Court - RSAchapter 491 • Circuit Court - RSAchapter 490-F - District Division - RSAchapter 502-A - Probate Division - RSAchapter 547 - Family Division- RSAchapter 490-D

New' Hampshire Supreme~ Court • Five Justices; 941 cases filed in 2012. • Hears appeals from all levels of court. • Has mandatory jurisdiction in most civil, criminal, and juvenile cases and discretionary jurisdiction in cases involving administrative agencies. • Issues advisory opinions for state executive and. legislative branches. • Receives certified questions of state law from federal court.

New Hampshire Supreme C,ourt Administrative Responsibilities • Chief justice administrative head of all courts (budget, education, personnel, etc.) • Appoints administrative judges and receives recommendations from administrative council • Appoints and oversees attorney discipline system (lawyer discipline)

New Hampshire Supreme: Court Administrative Responsibilities • Appoints and oversees judicial conduct committee (judge discipline) • Appoints advisory committee on rules, receives recommendations after public hearing, and promulgates rules • Appoints and oversees board of bar examiners and committee on character and fitness (admission to bar)

Superior Court • Calendar Year 2012 Filings: 15,047 cases; 24,763 charges • 22 judges authorized by RSA 491:1 - capped at 18 through 6/30/13; 8 senior active status judges per RSA 493.A:1 • Jury Trials • Personal Injury ($1,500 m inim um ) • Contracts ($1,500 m inim um ) • Real Property Rights ($1,500 m inim um ) • O ther Civil ($1,500 m inim um ) • M arriage Dissolution (Cheshire County only) • Custody/Support (Cheshire County only) • Felonies & • De Novo Appeals from District Division (m isdem eanor A; abuse neglect; CHINS) District & Fam ily • Dom estic Violence Petitions (concurrent with Div.)

Circuit Court • District Division (formerly District Court) • Probate Division (formerly Probate Court) • Family Division • 30 full-time judges; however, 39 full-time judges authorized by RSA 490-F:7 - capped at 35 through 6/30/13 • 21 part-time judges; however, 28 part-time judges authorized by RSA 490-F:7 • 4 senior active status judges per RSA 493-A:1 • 6 Marital Masters

n. t ., t n. .,· IVlSlon ,1S:flC" • Calendar Year 2012 Filings: 119,689 cases; 161,822 charges • 44 judges and 4 senior active status judges certified to sit in district division in 32 court locations • Civil ($0-$1,500 exclusive; $1,500-$25,000 concurrent) • Contracts • Landlord/Tenant • Small Claims ($0-$7,500; mandatory mediation over $5,000) • Misdemeanors (Class A and Class B - presumption of B) • Violations and Traffic Offenses • Juvenile (abuse & neglect, CHINS, and JUV Delinquent) (Cheshire County only) • Domestic Violence (concurrent with Superior Court & FD)

· · b t n. .. oro. a ~elVISlon P • Calendar Year 2012 Filings: 9,245 cases • 16 judges certified to sit in probate division • Adoption • Termination of Parental Rights (Cheshire County only) • Name Changes • Guardianships of Incapacitated Adults • Guardianships of Minors (Cheshire County only) • Trusts • Wills • Estates • Involuntary Admissions • Atlachments • Equity • Petition to Partition

~l De. e e F amlYIVlSlon • Calendar Year 2012 Filings: 19,038 cases; 20,077 charges • 39 tudges and 4 senior active status judges certified to sit in family division plus 6 marital masters in 26 locations • Operational in all counties except Cheshire • Marriage Dissolution (from Superior Court) • Custody/Support (from Superior Court) • Domestic Violence Petitions (concurrent with Superior Court and District Division) • Juvenile (from former District Courts) • Adoption (from former Probate Court) • Termination of Parental Rights (from former Probate Court) • Guardianship of Minors (from former Probate Court) • Name Changes Related to the Above (from former Probate Court)

State of New Ham pshire Judicial Branch January 2013 f _~ ..;:~~~~ ..;;;~~ ..~~~.;~~~~ H •••••••••• '! New Hampshire Supreme Court 1--[ 24 fu ll-tim e a n d 1 0 p a rl.tim e 1 Chief Justice Linda S. Dalianis j n o n -ju d ic ia l p o s itio n s j L. ..i H •••••••••• H ••••••••••••••••••••••• , ~ Adm inistrative Office of the Courts l 42 fu ll-tim e a n d 6 p a rt-tim e 1 ,...J Donald D. Goodnow, Director n o n ju d ic ia l p o s itio n s ~ 5 fu ll-tim e eso's a n d 1 ; 142 p e r-d ie m eso's i j I ~ •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 1 Circuit Court Superior Court Chief Justice Tina L. Nadeau Edwin W . Keliy, Adm inistrative Judge ........................................... 1 " l ! 22 fu ll-tim e ju d g e s ; c a p p e d Hon. David D. King l ! a t 1 B th ro u g h 6 1 3 fl1 1 3 Deputy Adm inistrative Judge ! ! 121 fu ll.tim e a n d 16 p a rf.tim e ! j _ .................................................•.............. n o n -ju d ic ia l p o s itio n s , : District Division Family Division Probate Division •........... _.........•........•.................................................. _ _ .1......................•..... _...•..•....•...........................•..................................................• ! j C irc u it C o u rt l 30 fu J I-tim e ju d g e s ; 39 fu ll-tim e ju d g e s a u th o riz e d b y i a t 35 th ro u g h R S A 4 9 0 :F 7 - c a p p e d 6 /3 0 1 1 3 1 21 p a rt-tim e ju d g e s ; a t 28 p a rt-tim e c a p p e d th ro u g h 6 1 3 0 1 1 3 l 289 fu ll-tim e a n d 98 p a rt-tim e n o n -ju d ic ia l p o s itio n s _ .•......... , j 6 fu ll.tim e m a rita l m a s te rs ~ .~ ~