- Meeting Date
- 2026-03-04
- Attachment Kind Label
- Agenda item PDF
- Attachment Relation
- primary_meeting_attachment
- Agenda Numbers
- 31
- Agency Names
- Judicial Council
- Parent Meeting Title
- Governor and Executive Council meeting - 2026-03-04
Nina Gardner, Chair
Hon. Melissa Countway
James T. Boffetti, Esq.
Stephanie Bray, Esq.
Sen. Bill Gannon
Kimberley Casey
Hon. Ellen V. Christo
John E. Dur1<in, Esq.
Amy Feliciano, Esq.
Hon. Mark Howard
February 19, 2026
THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRi
JUDICIAL COUNCIL
www.nh.gov/judicialcouncil
31^AR 0 "t 2026
w
Jay Buckey, Executive Director
One Granite Place, Suite 226
Concord, New Hampshire 03301
www.judicialcouncil.nh.gov
Heather Kuip, Esq.
Robert Lucic, Esq.
Steven D. Lubrano
Rep. Marjorie Smith
Hon. Chris Keating
Brian J. X. Murphy, Esq.
Richard E. Samdperil, Esq., Vice Chair
Dino Scala
Alan Seidman, Ed.D
Philip H. Utter, Esq.
Hon. Robert Stephen
The Honorable Ken Weyier, Chairman
Fiscal Committee of the General Court and
Her Excellency, Governor Kelly A. Ayotte
and the Honorable Council
State House
Concord, N.H. 03301
REQUESTED ACTION
Pursuant to RSA 604-A;l-b, Additional Funding, authorize the Judicial Council to receive an
additional appropriation from funds not otherwise appropriated in the total amount of $250,000
effective upon Fiscal Committee and Governor and Council approval, through June 30, 2027. 100%
General Funds.
Funding is to be budgeted in 02-07-07-070010-11010000 ABUSE & NEGLECT (NON-CASA) as
follows:
Class/Expense Class Title Current Budget Change Revised Budget
108/500751 Provider Payments Legal Services $360,000 $250,000 $610,000
EXPLANATION
This account funds the work of assigned counsel for non-CASA guardians ad litem to represent
parents in abuse and neglect cases when a CASA volunteer is not available.
Pursuant to the State's statutory order of appointment in RSA 169-C:10, when a court appoints a
guardian ad litem (GAL) to a case, that appointment first goes to a volunteer GAL from CASA of
New Hampshire. If CASA does not have a volunteer available, the court then appoints a private, non-
CASA, GAL to serve as a GAL. The Judicial Council pays the bills for these non-CASA GALs. The
assigned counsel system is based on an hourly rate of payment, with a structure of fee caps in place
through court rules.
The statutory order of appointment set forth in RSA 169-C:10 specifies that "[i]n cases brought
pursuant to this chapter involving a neglected or abused child, the court shall appoint a Court
Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) or other approved program guardian ad litem for the child. If a
CASA or other approved program guardian ad litem is unavailable for appointment, the court may
then appoint an attorney or other guardian ad litem as the guardian ad litem for the child."
Total FY25 expenditures for this line were $552,231. As of the end of January 2026, year-to-date
expenditures for this line have been $324,259.
The funds currently available in account 02-07-07-070010-10110000 are insufficient to pay the court-
approved invoices expected to arrive between now and the end of the current fiscal year. Based on
the monthly average of expenditures year to date, the Judicial Council anticipates that the account
will require the addition of at least $250,000 to meet the anticipated expenditures in this line through
June 30, 2026.
This agency will remain at your service to provide any requested information concerning the critical
importance of this additional funding to the orderly administration of justice.
Thank you for your consideration.
Respectfully Submitted,
/s/ Jay Buckey
Jay M. Buckey
Executive Director