- Arrest Records
- Judgments
- Bankruptcies
- DUIs & DWIs
- Felonies
- Warrants
- Jail Records
- Lien Records
- Sex Offenses
- Misdemeanors
- Criminal Records
- Federal Dockets
What are New Hampshire Court Records?
New Hampshire's 1.3 million population makes it the 10th least populous state in the United States. The state has only one appellate court, the Supreme court, while its trial court system is two-tiered: superior courts and circuit courts. About 120,000 cases are handled annually by New Hampshire courts.
Documents, motions, petitions, and judgments generated in the cases filed by the courts in the state make up New Hampshire court records. Court records in New Hampshire include the following:
Docket Sheet
This is an official summary of all the proceedings and filings in a court case, providing a chronological list of case proceedings, including documents filed by the parties, court orders, motions, hearings, and other important activities.
Judgments and Orders
These refer to decisions and directives issued by the court in a case, commanding or prohibiting specific actions by the parties involved.
Transcripts
Transcripts are official written records of what was said during a court proceeding. They are an exact account of the spoken words, including statements made by the judge, attorneys, witnesses, and others involved in the case.
Evidence
Evidence refers to material or testimony presented during a trial or hearing that helps to prove or disprove the facts in dispute.
Court Minutes
Court minutes are brief notes taken by a court clerk or a designated official, documenting the key events, orders, and decisions made during a hearing or trial.
Pleadings
Pleadings are statements submitted by the parties in a legal case, outlining their claims, defenses, and other legal arguments.
Types of Court Cases
Court cases are categorized into various types based on the nature of the dispute and the parties involved. However, the most common classifications are civil cases and criminal cases.
Civil Cases
In a New Hampshire civil case, an individual or entity known as the "plaintiff" initiates legal action to recover compensation for damages caused by another party, referred to as the "defendant". Unlike a criminal trial where the outcome is "guilty" or "not guilty", the defendant in a civil case is determined to be "liable" or "not liable" for the alleged harm. If found liable, the defendant may be ordered to compensate the plaintiff for the losses incurred. Both parties in a civil case have the right to appeal the decision to a higher court. Examples of civil cases in New Hampshire are:
- Personal Injury Claims: Cases involving individuals seeking compensation for injuries caused by accidents, such as car accidents, slips and falls, or medical malpractice.
- Contract Disputes: Disagreements over the terms or performance of contracts, such as breaches of business agreements, rental agreements, or service contracts.
- Property Disputes: Conflicts related to real estate, including disputes over property boundaries, landlord-tenant issues, or property damage claims.
- Family Law Matters: Cases involving divorce, child custody, alimony, and property division
- Employment Disputes: Cases involving wrongful termination, discrimination, wage disputes, or workplace harassment.
- Debt Collection: Actions taken by creditors to recover unpaid debts from individuals or businesses.
Criminal Cases
In criminal cases in New Hampshire, the defendant is assumed to be innocent until proven guilty, and it is the responsibility of the prosecution (the government) to establish the defendant's guilt "beyond a reasonable doubt".
A defendant may face various penalties, including probation, fines, restitution, or imprisonment if found guilty. Criminal cases are classified into two categories: misdemeanors, (offenses carrying a maximum jail sentence of one year) and felonies (offenses punishable by more than one year in prison).
In criminal trials, only the defendant has the right to appeal a verdict to a higher court. The principles of "double jeopardy" under the U.S. and New Hampshire Constitutions protect defendants from being tried again on the same charges once a verdict has been reached.
Common examples of criminal cases in New Hampshire include:
- Theft
- Assault
- Murder
- Drug offenses
- Domestic violence
- Robbery
What Are the Different Courts in New Hampshire?
New Hampshire has a three-level state court system, with a Supreme Court, a statewide Superior Court and a Circuit Court divided into District, Family and Probate Divisions. The Judicial Branch's general fund budget is an estimated $233 million for the 2026-2027 biennium, or roughly $116 million a year.
| Court Level | Court Name | Jurisdiction | Key Functions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appellate | Supreme Court | Statewide; five justices; the state's only appellate court | Hears appeals from the Superior and Circuit Courts and state agencies, issues advisory opinions and regulates the practice of law |
| General Jurisdiction | Superior Court | 10 counties; felonies and civil cases above $25,000 | Handles felony prosecutions, major civil cases, jury trials and appeals from the Circuit Court |
| Limited Jurisdiction | Circuit Court, District Division | Statewide; misdemeanors, violations and civil claims up to $25,000 | Handles misdemeanors, motor vehicle violations, small claims up to $10,000, landlord-tenant cases and involuntary admissions |
| Limited Jurisdiction | Circuit Court, Family Division | Statewide; family and juvenile matters | Handles divorce, parenting and support, domestic violence petitions, juvenile delinquency, guardianship of minors, adoption and termination of parental rights |
| Limited Jurisdiction | Circuit Court, Probate Division | Statewide; estates and guardianship | Handles wills and estates, trusts, guardianship of adults, name changes and related matters |
How Many Federal Courts Are in New Hampshire?
New Hampshire has only one federal district court, the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire, with three active judges. Currently, the court's judges are appointed by both major political parties. Appeals from this court are sent to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.
The federal district court in New Hampshire has limited jurisdiction, meaning it can only hear specific types of cases. The court has jurisdiction over cases in two primary scenarios: diversity jurisdiction and federal question jurisdiction. Diversity jurisdiction occurs when a civil case involves parties from different states and the amount in dispute exceeds $75,000. To qualify, no plaintiff can share the same state citizenship as any defendant. On the other hand, federal question jurisdiction arises when a case involves the U.S. Constitution or federal laws, such as those outlined in the U.S. Code.
Additionally, the federal district court has exclusive jurisdiction in specific areas governed by federal law, including bankruptcy, patents, copyrights, and admiralty or maritime law. The district court has a specialized bankruptcy court to handle bankruptcy proceedings.
How Many Court Cases Are Filed Each Year in New Hampshire?
New Hampshire's Superior and Circuit Courts received an estimated 142,000 new cases in calendar year 2025, with small claims, criminal and probate matters among the largest categories. Clearance rates are estimated because the state publishes filings but not disposition totals for its trial courts.
| Case Type | Annual Filings | % of Total | Common Offense/Subtype | Clearance Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic | ~19,900 | 14.0% | Motor vehicle violations such as speeding and equipment offenses | ~100% |
| Criminal | ~44,100 | 31.0% | Misdemeanors such as DWI, assault and theft in the Circuit Court, and felonies in the Superior Court | ~95% |
| Civil | 16,464 | 11.6% | Landlord-tenant, contract, tort and equity cases | ~95% |
| Small Claims | 26,131 | 18.4% | Money claims up to $10,000 in the Circuit Court District Division | ~100% |
| Domestic Relations | 9,960 | 7.0% | Divorce, parenting matters and domestic violence petitions | ~97% |
| Juvenile | 2,550 | 1.8% | Delinquency cases and termination of parental rights | ~100% |
| Other | 23,285 | 16.4% | Probate and estates, search warrants, guardianship, stalking petitions, name changes and mental health admissions | ~100% |
| Total | ~142,390 | 100% | — | ~97% |
How Do I Look Up Court Cases in New Hampshire?
The New Hampshire Judicial Branch allows public access to court records. This policy aims to recognize and realize the public's right under the state constitution to court proceedings.
Consequently, the New Hampshire Judicial Branch provides online access to limited case information from the state's trial courts. Access is currently available to non-confidential circuit court case types of small claims, district division civil, estate, and name change cases, as well as superior court civil and criminal cases. Note that the case information provided via this Judicial Branch's Case Access Portal is not the official court record. You must register to create an account on the portal before you may sign in to search for case information. The New Hampshire Judicial Branch provides a user guide for the public to use the case access portal.
Also, the Central Processing Center of the New Hampshire Judicial Branch allows people to perform electronic look-ups for multiple names and related cases within the state trial courts. The documents generated in response to this request are called "case summaries". A case summary is an index of events and documents in a particular case. Case summaries are not official court records and are generated for informational purposes only. If you have the case number of the court record you want to look up, you may go to the court where the case was filed and provide the number to get a free record search. However, if you do not have a case number, you must provide a Record Search Request form ( Superior Court or Circuit Court (district and family division) or Circuit Court Probate Division) and a check for the appropriate fee, completed for each individual court location to:
New Hampshire Judicial Branch Administrative Offices
Attention: Central Processing Center
1 Granite Place, Suite N400
Concord, New Hampshire 03301
Note that checks for the payment must be made payable to NHJB Central Processing Center. Alternatively, you may hand deliver the completed form and fee Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to the Judicial Branch Administrative Offices at1 Granite Place, Suite N400.
The following categories of person do not typically require a few when making a request:
- Contract Attorney
- Public defenders
- Prosecutors
- Law enforcement (state and local police departments)
- Military recruiters
- Parties requesting information about a single case in which they are a party
- Attorneys requesting information about a case in which they have filed an appearance
To obtain copies of New Hampshire court records, visit the courthouse where the case was filed in person or contact the clerk of court. In many courthouses, there are public terminals to view records, while requests for actual copies of court documents may be made to the clerk's office.
Number of Active Judges — State & Federal
New Hampshire's state judges serve on the Supreme Court, Superior Court and Circuit Court, and three active federal judges sit on the U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire. State counts are approximate full-time judgeships and the federal count reflects sitting judges.
| Court | Jurisdiction | Active Judges | Selection Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supreme Court | Appellate | 5 | Nominated by the Governor and confirmed by the Executive Council; serve until age 70 |
| Superior Court | General | ~22 | Nominated by the Governor and confirmed by the Executive Council; serve until age 70 |
| Circuit Court | Limited | ~39 | Nominated by the Governor and confirmed by the Executive Council; serve until age 70 |
| U.S. District Court, District of New Hampshire | Federal | 3 | Nominated by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate |
| Total Active Judges | — | ~69 | — |
What Court Records Are Not Available to the Public in New Hampshire?
According to the New Hampshire Guidelines for Public Access to Court Records, the public right to access court records must be balanced against non-disclosure interests under federal and state laws relating to confidentiality when providing access to court records.
Per the state's guidelines, unless otherwise ordered by the court, these categories of cases are not available to the public:
- Juvenile cases (Child In Need of Services (CHINS), delinquency, termination of parental rights, abuse or neglect, adoption)
- Pending or denied application for search or arrest warrants
- Applications for wiretaps and orders thereon
- Grand jury records
- Any other record required to be kept confidential by rule, statute, or order
Average Case Processing Time & Clearance Rates
Processing times in New Hampshire range from a few weeks for traffic violations and small claims to a year or more for contested Superior Court cases. Times shown are estimates based on the structure of the state's courts and national time-to-disposition benchmarks, and the Circuit Court has reported thousands of cases pending beyond its time standards.
| Case Type | Court Level | Average Processing Time | Description | Clearance Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic & Parking | Limited Jurisdiction | ~30–60 days | Most violations are resolved by payment of a fine or plea by mail, with contested cases set for a District Division trial | ~100% |
| Small Claims | Limited Jurisdiction | ~2–3 months | Heard in the Circuit Court District Division in an informal hearing, usually without attorneys | ~100% |
| Misdemeanor Criminal | Limited Jurisdiction | ~3–6 months | Arraignment, negotiations and plea or bench trial in the District Division, with appeal to the Superior Court for jury trial | ~95% |
| Civil Cases | General Jurisdiction | ~12–18 months | Pleadings, discovery, motions and settlement or trial in Superior Court | ~95% |
| Domestic Relations | Limited Jurisdiction | ~6–9 months | Divorce and parenting cases in the Family Division, usually resolved by agreement, with contested matters set for hearing | ~97% |
| Felony Criminal | General Jurisdiction | ~8–12 months | Indictment, arraignment, plea negotiations and sentencing or jury trial in Superior Court | ~95% |