New Hampshire Civil Court Records Lookup

The following is for information purposes only

New Hampshire Civil Court Records

The New Hampshire Courts have three levels of civil courts. These are the Supreme Court, the Superior Courts, and the Circuit Courts.

The Supreme Court is the most important in the state. This court advises the executive and legislative branches in New Hampshire. The trial court's administrative judges work with the chief justice and associate justices on issues related to how the court runs its policies.

Conversely, the Circuit Courts have the Family Division, Probate Division, and District Division.

The District Division of Circuit Courts handles most civil matters with money disputes involving less than $25,000. There are ten courts in the state, one for each county. Also, there is one clerk and one possible deputy clerk in each Circuit Court area.

If the sum exceeds $25,000, the Superior Court will hear the case. The Superior Courts are a place where jury trials happen. It can rule on various civil, criminal, and family cases. In New Hampshire, there are 11 Superior Courts.

Are New Hampshire Civil Court Records public? The New Hampshire Right to Know Law provides residents access to these court documents.

What Are New Hampshire Bankruptcy Records?

New Hampshire Bankruptcy Records comprise papers generated throughout the state's pre-filing and post-filing phases of bankruptcy cases. The bankruptcy procedure assists debtors in acquiring debt relief via liquidating assets or creating repayment schedules for creditors.

Once you retrieve these records in New Hampshire, you can expect the following documents and information:

  • Case number
  • Case status
  • Filing date
  • Debtor's job and income statements
  • Debtor's complete name and contact information
  • Creditors and amounts due
  • The contacts for creditors
  • 341 meeting dates, places, and transcripts
  • Assigned judge's name
  • Specified trustee's identity
  • Certificates of bankruptcy release

The federal bankruptcy rules let debtors petition for multiple forms of bankruptcy based on their income and other factors. Here are the most common bankruptcy filed under New Hampshire Bankruptcy Records:

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy

A New Hampshire Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidates the debtor's assets and properties. This debt settlement does not include submitting a repayment plan or making payments in installments. The debtor instead delivers all non-exempt assets to the trustee for immediate sale.

To determine eligibility, the applicant must pass the means test, which compares the debtor's income to the median income in New Hampshire.

Note that this bankruptcy option is unavailable to corporations and partnerships.

Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

Chapter 11 bankruptcy in New Hampshire compels debtors to create repayment plans to resolve their obligations. This kind of bankruptcy, also known as reorganization or restructuring bankruptcy, extends the debtor's payments over a time agreed upon by creditors and the court.

Chapter 13 Bankruptcy

New Hampshire Chapter 13 bankruptcy needs a comparable repayment plan to Chapter 11 bankruptcy. However, the U.S. Bankruptcy Code confines Chapter 13 bankruptcy to those who earn a regular paycheck.

To qualify for Chapter 13 bankruptcy, wage workers must have unsecured debt of less than $419,275 and secured debt with a balance under $1,257,500.

You will also find Chapter 12 bankruptcy in New Hampshire Bankruptcy Records. It is for family fishermen and farmers with a consistent yearly income.

How To Find New Hampshire Bankruptcy Records?

If you want New Hampshire Bankruptcy Records, visit the New Hampshire Bankruptcy Court Clerk's office and ask for them in person.

The court charges $32 to look up records and $64 to get the first record box from the archives. You need to pay $39 for an additional box. You can use public access terminals in the courthouse to look for these records.

The cost per page for printing records retrieved using the public terminal is $0.10. Other photocopies are $0.5 per page.

Case records are also accessible online via the Voice Case Information System (VCIS) and the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER).

Through an automated speech system, VCIS offers limited information on bankruptcy records. It is best to have a bankruptcy case number and year to view these bankruptcy records.

Likewise, PACER enables immediate electronic access to federal court records. To utilize this system, you must register and pay $0.10 per search page.

What Are New Hampshire Property Lien Records?

Under New Hampshire Civil Court Records, a property lien gives a creditor the right to seize a debtor's property. Except when prohibited by law, a creditor can place a property lien on any real or personal property.

Property lien can be in different forms, and the most common New Hampshire Property Lien Records are as follows:

Tax Lien

A New Hampshire tax lien is a lien connected to the property of a delinquent taxpayer. Unpaid taxes, penalties, interest, or state tax violations may result in liens on real or personal property, bank accounts, and other assets.

Section 21-J:28-b permits taxpayers to appeal to the Department of Revenue Administration within 60 days after obtaining this lien.

Judgment Lien

In a civil case in New Hampshire, a judgment lien is when a judge orders a lien on the defendant's property in favor of the plaintiff.

Chapter 511-A of the New Hampshire Statutes states that any real or personal property of the defendant subject to a lien becomes collateral that the plaintiff can seize and sell to pay off the judgment.

Mechanic's Lien

A mechanic's lien in New Hampshire is a way for people who did work or gave materials for construction projects but unpaid.

According to Chapter 447 of the New Hampshire Statutes, these construction projects include work on ships, railroads, buildings, and lumber works or the supply of materials.

Other property liens in the state include mortgage, jeweler, and UCC liens.

How To Check New Hampshire Property Lien Records?

The first thing to do to check New Hampshire Property Lien Records is to contact the government agency that registered the lien. You must visit the appropriate recorder's office for comprehensive lien information.

Some government entities post lien information on their websites. You can utilize these websites' search engines to locate the liens you want in the state.

A Hampshire Property Lien Record obtained online specifically includes the following:

  • Lienholder name and location
  • Lienee's address
  • Documentation date
  • Lien status

For information about UCC liens filed in New Hampshire, call the Secretary of State's UCC Division or send an email request to ucc@sos.nh.gov.

What Are New Hampshire Civil Driving Violation Records?

New Hampshire Civil Driving Violation Records document traffic infractions drivers commit while driving a motor vehicle.

Some of the typical New Hampshire Civil Driving Violation Records are:

  • Speeding
  • Illegal parking
  • Running a red light
  • Making an unlawful turn

In New Hampshire, these traffic violations are minor crimes that do not carry a prison sentence but may result in a fine. The penalties for these traffic violations vary according to the offense's nature, but most include a fee between $50 and $200.

Under Chapter 265 of the New Hampshire Revised Statutes, these traffic offenses may result in the accumulation of points on a driver's record. If a motorist earns sufficient points, it could lead to license suspension.

How To Look Up New Hampshire Civil Driving Violation Records?

New Hampshire drivers who have received a traffic ticket can look up their violations online or in person.

For online, you can visit the New Hampshire Judiciary website and choose "Traffic Violations" from the drop-down menu to look up these records. This search engine will give you the date, the type of violation, and the fine for each violation.

You can also look up a New Hampshire traffic violation by contacting the clerk of court in the county where you got the ticket. When contacting the court clerk, you must give your or someone's full name, date of birth, and driver's license number.

What Are New Hampshire Legal Judgment Records?

New Hampshire civil law empowers people and businesses to sue for damages. When someone takes this dispute to court, the judge can dismiss it or render a judgment.

Once you obtain a New Hampshire Legal Judgment Record, you will find the names and addresses of the case parties and their lawyers, the judgment type, the judge's name, the finding on issues, and the remedy.

Chapters 524 and 524-A of Title LIII of the New Hampshire Statutes outline the state's judgment provisions. In addition to these statutes, each trial court has its rules, practices, and processes for pre- and post-judgment activities.

How To Look Up New Hampshire Legal Judgment Records?

To find New Hampshire Legal Judgment Records, you must first know which Superior or Circuit Court made the decision. After that, prepare the case number since the court personnel will need this information to locate the record promptly.

You must pay a search fee if you don't know the case number unless you are a lawyer, public defender, military recruiter, or member of law enforcement.

You can also fill out a Record Search Request form and send it to the New Hampshire Judicial Branch (NHJB) Administrative Offices by mail or in person. From an instruction sheet the courts give out, you can find what forms to use, how much they cost, and where to send them.

The Find-Your-Court page is a great way to discover where a court is, its phone number, and when it is open.

What Are New Hampshire Small Claims Records?

Another New Hampshire Civil Court Record you will encounter in the state is the small claims. This court record provides the essential elements of the small claims proceeding, like the credit report of the losing party.

In New Hampshire, people or businesses can go to Small Claims Courts, part of the New Hampshire Circuit Court's District Division, to get back less than $10,000. Note that these courts solely deal with legal actions to recover money, not real estate.

Some of the cases filed in New Hampshire Small Claims Records are the following:

  • Conflicts over broken contracts
  • Non-jurisdictional personal injury claims
  • Malpractice claims
  • Claims for damage to property

If you want to collect money under the jurisdictional limit of the state Small Claims Courts, you must file a small claims action with the appropriate Circuit Court District Division.

According to the New Hampshire Circuit Court Electronic Filing Pilot Rules, you, the plaintiff, must submit a Small Claims Complaint Form using the state Court's Electronic Filing Service.

How To Look Up New Hampshire Small Claims Records?

If you ask, the New Hampshire court service center will give you records of small claims actions. You can download the Record Research and Billing Form to look up a New Hampshire Small Claims Record.

You can mail the form and the appropriate fee to the NHJB Administrative Offices. You can also bring the form to the office during regular hours.

You can request up to 5 names for $20. After that, additional name searches cost $5 each. You should pay the money to the NHJB Central Processing Center.

What Are New Hampshire Divorce Court Records?

The state's courts generate the New Hampshire Divorce Court Records when married persons lawfully dissolve their marriages.

To file for New Hampshire divorce, each party must currently reside in the state, and the petitioner (the spouse initiating the divorce case) has spent one year in New Hampshire.

These court records are personal and may include sensitive information such as domestic violence. Thus, New Hampshire Divorce Court Records are often less accessible than other public records in the state.

There are three versions of New Hampshire Divorce Court Records, and these are:

Divorce Certificates

A New Hampshire divorce certificate shows that a court has legally ended a marriage. This document is the most often requested and least informative divorce court record. It only includes the names of divorced parties, divorce dates, and courts or counties that concluded the divorce.

Typically, these documents are available in both certified and uncertified formats. When remarrying or attempting to alter one's name legally, certified copies are necessary to verify identification. The unauthenticated documents are only for informative reasons.

Divorce Decree

A divorce decree in New Hampshire finalizes the dissolution of a marriage and outlines the terms of the divorced spouses' legal obligations.

These documents usually include information on financial arrangements, child custody rights, alimony, property division, visitation schedules, and protective orders.

Divorce Records

A New Hampshire divorce record is the complete case file created throughout the divorce process. This type includes evidence, summonses, motions, orders, notifications, depositions, oral arguments, and judgments.

How to Look Up New Hampshire Divorce Court Records?

Since New Hampshire Divorce Court Records are private, only the divorced parties, their first-degree relatives, and their legal agents can request certified copies of these records.

Circuit Court clerks are responsible for maintaining divorce court records in New Hampshire. These clerks accept mail and in-person requests if you meet the eligibility requirements.

To get these documents in person, visit the court clerk's office with the information required to locate and retrieve them. For mail requests, you must include the necessary information, papers, and fees in a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

The pieces of information you need to obtain these records are often the names of the divorce parties, the case number, the case's status, and the estimated filing date.

Alternatively, you can request New Hampshire Divorce Court Records through the state judicial branch. To do so, complete a Records Research and Payment Form and submit it in person or by mail to the central research room of NHJB Administrative Offices.

Lastly, the Vital Records Administration Division of New Hampshire also offers copies of divorce certificates issued inside the state.

What Are New Hampshire Probate Court Records?

The local and state courts create New Hampshire Probate Court Records after a person's death to distribute the estate and care for dependents.

When loved ones die, their possessions and personal accounts are part of their estate. New Hampshire probate rules assert that the estate belongs to the state court until someone probates it.

Some of the cases or documents you can discover in New Hampshire Probate Court Records are as follows:

  • Wills
  • Adoptions
  • Trusts and estates
  • Name changes
  • Guardianships and involuntary commitment proceedings
  • Equity matters about partition, quiet title, etc

Where can you obtain New Hampshire Probate Court Records? The Circuit Court Probate Division has jurisdiction over many probate issues mentioned above. Also, Probate Judges in each of the ten counties of the state handle these kinds of cases.

Thus, to look up a New Hampshire Probate Court Record, visit your county court or ask the Circuit Court Probate Division of the NHJB. For mail-in requests, accomplish the Probate Estate Administration Records Research and Payment Form, and submit it to the division.

How To Look Up Civil Court Cases in New Hampshire?

When attempting to get New Hampshire Civil Court Records, the first step is typically to find the courthouse that kept the records. The court clerk's office usually keeps court records in either paper or computerized case files.

Using the electronic case management system (CM/ECF), you can look up all civil court cases in New Hampshire filed after June 2004. You must have a PACER account to look at these documents electronically.

You can also find civil cases in New Hampshire through the National Archives and Records Administration-Federal Records Center (NARA-FRC).

Lastly, you can get free access to electronic case files at the public terminals in the clerk's office.

If you want to see a sealed document, you must file a formal motion and ask all parties and the lawyer of record for permission.