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RSA 502-A:1 · Judicial Districts

Title
LI: COURTS
Chapter
502-A · DISTRICT COURTS
Status
current
Official source linked
Yes
Official source Copy section link

502-A:1 Judicial Districts. – A comprehensive system of judicial districts, each with a district court, is hereby organized, constituted and established as follows: Rockingham County

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I.

PORTSMOUTH DISTRICT. The Portsmouth district shall consist of the city of Portsmouth and the towns of Newington, Greenland, Rye, and New Castle. The district court for the district shall be located in Portsmouth, holding sessions regularly therein and elsewhere in the district as justice may require. The name of the court shall be Portsmouth District Court.

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II.

HAMPTON DISTRICT. The Hampton district shall consist of the towns of Hampton, Hampton Falls, North Hampton, South Hampton, and Seabrook. The district division for the district shall be located in Hampton, holding sessions regularly therein and elsewhere in the district as justice may require.

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III.

BRENTWOOD DISTRICT. The Brentwood district shall consist of the towns of Exeter, Newmarket, Stratham, Newfields, Fremont, East Kingston, Kensington, Epping, Brentwood, Danville, Kingston, and Newton. The district division for the district shall be located in Brentwood, holding sessions regularly therein and elsewhere in the district as justice may require.

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IV.

DERRY DISTRICT. The Derry district shall consist of the towns of Derry, Londonderry, Chester, and Sandown. The district court for the district shall be located in Derry, holding sessions regularly therein and elsewhere in the district as justice may require. The name of the court shall be Derry District Court.

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V.

CANDIA DISTRICT. TheCandia district shall consist of the towns of Auburn, Candia, Deerfield, Nottingham, Raymond, and Northwood. The district court for the district shall be located in Candia, holding sessions regularly therein and elsewhere in the district as justice may require.

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VI.

SALEM DISTRICT. The Salem district shall consist of the towns of Salem, Windham, Atkinson, Hampstead, and Plaistow in Rockingham county and the town of Pelham in Hillsborough county. The district court for the district shall be located in Salem, holding sessions regularly therein and elsewhere in the district as justice may require. The name of the court shall be Salem District Court. Strafford County

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VII.

DOVER DISTRICT. The Dover district shall consist of the cities of Dover and Somersworth and the towns of Rollinsford, Durham, Lee, and Madbury. The district court for the district shall be located in Dover, holding sessions regularly therein and elsewhere in the district as justice may require.

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VIII.

ROCHESTER DISTRICT. The Rochester district court shall consist of the city of Rochester and the towns of Barrington, Milton, New Durham, Farmington, Strafford, and Middleton. The district court for the district shall be located in Rochester, holding sessions regularly therein and elsewhere in the district as justice may require. The name of the court shall be Rochester District Court. Belknap County

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IX.

LACONIA DISTRICT. The Laconia district shall consist of the city of Laconia and the towns of Meredith, New Hampton, Gilford, Belmont, Alton, Gilmanton, Center Harbor, and Barnstead. The district court for the district shall be located in Laconia, holding sessions regularly therein and elsewhere in the district as justice may require. The name of the court shall be Laconia District Court. Carroll County

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X.

CONWAY DISTRICT. The district for northern Carroll county shall consist of the towns of Conway, Bartlett, Jackson, Eaton, Chatham, Hart's Location, Albany, Madison and the unincorporated places of Hale's Location, Cutt's Grant, and Hadley's Purchase. The district court for the district shall be located in Conway, holding sessions regularly therein and elsewhere in the district as justice may require. The name of the court shall be the Conway District Court.

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XI.

OSSIPEE DISTRICT. The district for southern Carroll county shall consist of the towns of Ossipee, Tamworth, Freedom, Effingham, Wakefield, Wolfeboro, Brookfield, Tuftonboro, Moultonborough, and Sandwich. The court shall be located in Ossipee, holding sessions regularly therein and elsewhere in the district as justice may require. The name of the court shall be the Ossipee District Court. Merrimack County

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XII.

CONCORD DISTRICT. The Concord district shall consist of the city of Concord, and the towns of Loudon, Canterbury, Dunbarton, Bow, Hopkinton, Pittsfield, Chichester, and Epsom. The district court for the district shall be located in Concord, holding sessions regularly there and elsewhere in the district as justice may require. The name of the court shall be Concord District Court.

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XIII.

HOOKSETT DISTRICT. The Hooksett district shall consist of the towns of Allenstown, Pembroke, and Hooksett. The district court for the district shall be located in Hooksett, holding sessions regularly therein and elsewhere in the district as justice may require. The name of the court shall be the Hooksett District Court.

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XIV.

FRANKLIN DISTRICT. The Franklin district shall consist of the city of Franklin and the towns of Northfield, Danbury, Andover, Boscawen, Salisbury, Hill, and Webster in Merrimack county and the towns of Sanbornton and Tilton in Belknap county. The district court for the district shall be located in Franklin, holding sessions regularly therein and elsewhere in the district as justice may require. The name of the court shall be Franklin District Court.

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XV.

HENNIKER-HILLSBOROUGH DISTRICT. The Henniker-Hillsborough district shall consist of the towns of Henniker, Warner, Sutton, and Bradford in Merrimack county and the towns of Hillsborough, Deering, Windsor, Antrim, and Bennington in Hillsborough county. The district court for the district shall be located in Hillsborough, holding sessions regularly therein and elsewhere in the district as justice may require. Hillsborough County

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XVI.

MANCHESTER DISTRICT. The Manchester district shall consist of the city of Manchester. The district court for the district shall be located in Manchester, holding sessions regularly therein as justice may require. The name of the court shall be Manchester District Court.

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XVII.

NASHUA DISTRICT. The Nashua district shall consist of the city of Nashua and the towns of Hudson and Hollis. The district court for the district shall be located in Nashua, holding sessions regularly therein and elsewhere in the district as justice may require. The name of the court shall be Nashua District Court.

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XVIII.

MERRIMACK DISTRICT. The Merrimack district shall consist of the towns of Merrimack, Litchfield, and Bedford. The district court for the district shall be located in Merrimack, holding sessions regularly therein and elsewhere in the district as justice may require. The name of the court shall be the Merrimack District Court.

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XIX.

MILFORD DISTRICT. The Milford district shall consist of the towns of Milford, Brookline, Amherst, Mason, Wilton, Lyndeborough, and Mont Vernon. The district court for the district shall be located in Milford, holding sessions regularly therein and elsewhere in the district as justice may require. The name of the court shall be Milford District Court.

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XX.

JAFFREY-PETERBOROUGH DISTRICT. The Jaffrey-Peterborough district shall consist of the towns of Peterborough, Hancock, Greenville, Greenfield, New Ipswich, Temple, and Sharon in Hillsborough county and the towns of Jaffrey, Dublin, Fitzwilliam, and Rindge in Cheshire county. The district court for the district shall be located in Jaffrey, holding sessions regularly therein and elsewhere in the district as justice may require. The name of the court shall be Jaffrey-Peterborough District Court.

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XXI.

HENNIKER-HILLSBOROUGH DISTRICT. The Henniker-Hillsborough district shall consist of the towns of Henniker, Warner, Sutton, and Bradford in Merrimack county and the towns of Hillsborough, Deering, Windsor, Antrim, and Bennington in Hillsborough county. The district court for the district shall be located in Hillsborough, holding sessions regularly therein and elsewhere in the district as justice may require.

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XXII.

GOFFSTOWN DISTRICT. The Goffstown district shall consist of the towns of Goffstown, Weare, New Boston, and Francestown. The district court for the district shall be located in Goffstown, holding sessions regularly therein and elsewhere in the district as justice may require. The name of the court shall be Goffstown District Court. Cheshire County

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XXIII.

KEENE DISTRICT. The Keene district shall consist of the city of Keene and the towns of Stoddard, Westmoreland, Surry, Gilsum, Sullivan, Nelson, Roxbury, Marlow, Swanzey, Marlborough, Winchester, Richmond, Hinsdale, Harrisville, Walpole, Alstead, Troy, and Chesterfield. The district court for the district shall be located in Keene, holding sessions regularly therein and elsewhere in the district as justice may require. The name of the court shall be Keene District Court.

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XXIV.

JAFFREY-PETERBOROUGH DISTRICT. The Jaffrey-Peterborough district shall consist of the towns of Jaffrey, Dublin, Fitzwilliam, and Rindge in Cheshire county and the towns of Peterborough, Hancock, Greenville, Greenfield, New Ipswich, Temple, and Sharon in Hillsborough county. The district court for the district shall be located in Jaffrey, holding sessions regularly therein and elsewhere in the district as justice may require. The name of the court shall be Jaffrey-Peterborough District Court. Sullivan County

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XXV.

CLAREMONT DISTRICT. The Claremont district shall consist of the city of Claremont and the towns of Cornish, Unity, Charlestown, Acworth, Langdon, and Plainfield]. The district court for the district shall be located in Claremont, holding sessions regularly therein and elsewhere in the district as justice may require. XXV-a. NEWPORT DISTRICT. The Newport district shall consist of the towns of Newport, Grantham, Croydon, Springfield, Sunapee, Goshen, Lempster, and Washington in Sullivan county and the towns of New London, Newbury, and Wilmot in Merrimack county. The district court for the district shall be located in Newport, holding sessions regularly therein and elsewhere in the district as justice may require. Grafton County

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XXVI.

HANOVER-LEBANON DISTRICT. The Hanover-Lebanon district shall consist of the towns of Hanover, Orford, Lyme, Lebanon, Enfield, Canaan, Grafton, Dorchester, and Orange. The district court for the district shall be located in Lebanon, holding sessions regularly therein and elsewhere in the district as justice may require.

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XXVII.

HAVERHILL DISTRICT. The Haverhill district shall consist of the towns of Haverhill, Bath, Landaff, Benton, Piermont, and Warren. The district court for the district shall be located in Haverhill, holding sessions regularly therein and elsewhere in the district as justice may require. The name of the court shall be Haverhill District Court.

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XXVIII.

LITTLETON DISTRICT. The Littleton district shall consist of the towns of Littleton, Monroe, Lyman, Lisbon, Franconia, Bethlehem, Sugar Hill, and Easton. The district court for the district shall be located in Littleton, holding sessions regularly therein and elsewhere in the district as justice may require. The name of the court shall be Littleton District Court.

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XXIX.

PLYMOUTH-LINCOLN DISTRICT. The Plymouth-Lincoln district shall consist of the towns of Plymouth, Bristol, Groton, Wentworth, Rumney, Ellsworth, Thornton, Campton, Ashland, Hebron, Holderness, Bridgewater, Alexandria, Lincoln, Woodstock, Waterville Valley, and the unincorporated place of Livermore. The district court for the district shall be located in Plymouth, holding sessions regularly therein and elsewhere in the district as justice may require. The name of the court shall be Plymouth District Court. Coos County

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XXX.

BERLIN-GORHAM DISTRICT. The Berlin-Gorham district shall consist of the city of Berlin and the towns of Gorham, Milan, Dummer, Shelburne, and Randolph and the unincorporated places of Cambridge, Success, Bean's Purchase, Martin's Location, Green's Grant, Pinkham's Grant, Sargent's Purchase, Thompson and Meserve's Purchase and Low and Burbank's Grant. The district court for the district shall be located in Berlin, holding sessions regularly therein and elsewhere in the district as justice may require.

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XXXI.

COLEBROOK DISTRICT. The Colebrook district shall consist of the towns of Colebrook, Pittsburg, Clarksville, Wentworth's Location, Errol, Millsfield, Columbia, Stewartstown, and Stratford and the unincorporated places of Dix's Grant, Atkinson and Gilmanton Academy Grant, Second College Grant, Dixville, Erving's Location, and Odell. The district court for the district shall be located in Colebrook, holding sessions regularly therein and elsewhere in the district as justice may require. The name of the court shall be Colebrook District Court.

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XXXII.

LANCASTER DISTRICT. The Lancaster district shall consist of the towns of Lancaster, Stark, Northumberland, Carroll, Whitefield, Dalton and Jefferson, and the unincorporated places of Kilkenny, Bean's Grant, Chandler's Purchase, and Crawford's Purchase. The district court for the district shall be located in Lancaster, holding sessions regularly therein and elsewhere in the district as justice may require. The name of the court shall be Lancaster District Court. Source. 1963, 331:1. 1965, 327:8. 1969, 110:1-3; 167:1, 2. 1971, 544:1-3; 558:1, 2. 1981, 578:1, 2. 1983, 82:1, 2. 1985, 271:1, 2. 1987, 244:1, 2. 1992, 253:1. 1994, 44:1, 2. 1995, 14:1, 2; 17:1, 2; 204:1-3. 1996, 22:1. 2001, 227:1. 2004, 14:1, 2; 176:2-5; 236:1-4, 6-9. 2005, 179:1, 2, 4, 5. 2009, 144:57, eff. July 1, 2009; 165:4, eff. July 8, 2009. 2010, 193:4, eff. June 21, 2010. 2015, 106:1, 2, eff. June 5, 2015. 2018, 213:1, 2, eff. July 1, 2018. 2019, 235:1, eff. July 12, 2019. 2020, 29:9, eff. Sept. 21, 2020. 2025, 141:362, eff. Jan. 1, 2026.

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Source note

Source. 1963, 331:1. 1965, 327:8. 1969, 110:1-3; 167:1, 2. 1971, 544:1-3; 558:1, 2. 1981, 578:1, 2. 1983, 82:1, 2. 1985, 271:1, 2. 1987, 244:1, 2. 1992, 253:1. 1994, 44:1, 2. 1995, 14:1, 2; 17:1, 2; 204:1-3. 1996, 22:1. 2001, 227:1. 2004, 14:1, 2; 176:2-5; 236:1-4, 6-9. 2005, 179:1, 2, 4, 5. 2009, 144:57, eff. July 1, 2009; 165:4, eff. July 8, 2009. 2010, 193:4, eff. June 21, 2010. 2015, 106:1, 2, eff. June 5, 2015. 2018, 213:1, 2, eff. July 1, 2018. 2019, 235:1, eff. July 12, 2019. 2020, 29:9, eff. Sept. 21, 2020. 2025, 141:362, eff. Jan. 1, 2026.

Source history

  • 1963, 331:1
  • 1965, 327:8
  • 1969, 110:1-3; 167:1, 2
  • 1971, 544:1-3; 558:1, 2
  • 1981, 578:1, 2
  • 1983, 82:1, 2
  • 1985, 271:1, 2
  • 1987, 244:1, 2
  • 1992, 253:1
  • 1994, 44:1, 2
  • 1995, 14:1, 2; 17:1, 2; 204:1-3
  • 1996, 22:1
  • 2001, 227:1
  • 2004, 14:1, 2; 176:2-5; 236:1-4, 6-9
  • 2005, 179:1, 2, 4, 5
  • 2009, 144:57, eff. July 1, 2009; 165:4, eff. July 8, 2009
  • 2010, 193:4, eff. June 21, 2010
  • 2015, 106:1, 2, eff. June 5, 2015
  • 2018, 213:1, 2, eff. July 1, 2018
  • 2019, 235:1, eff. July 12, 2019
  • 2020, 29:9, eff. Sept. 21, 2020
  • 2025, 141:362, eff. Jan. 1, 2026

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Bill relationships

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  • 2026 HB1547-FN reference · effective 2027-01-01

    ocedure 21(a); or (b) Proceed with a trial in the circuit court, which will constitute a waiver of the right to a jury trial and the right to appeal for a jury trial pursuant to RSA 502-A:12 and 599:1. II. A circuit court shall not proceed with a trial under subparagraph I(b) unless it has conducted a colloquy with the defendant and finds that the defendant has knowingly, voluntarily, and intelligently

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    uilty or nolo contendere and shall impose an administrative processing fee in addition to the civil penalty. Such fee shall be the same as the administrative processing fee under RSA 502-A:19-b, and shall be retained by the court for the benefit of the state. VI. The court may, in its discretion, issue a bench warrant for the arrest of any defendant who: (a) Is defaulted in accordance with the provisions o

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    the provisions of this title or any local ordinance, code, or regulation adopted under this title may commence an action under paragraph I either in the district court pursuant to RSA 502-A:11-a, or in the superior court. The prosecuting official in the official's discretion may, prior to or at the time of arraignment, charge the offense as a violation, and in such cases the penalties to be imposed by the court

  • 2026 HB652 amend · effective 2026-01-01

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  • 2026 HB652-FN amend · effective 2026-01-01

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  • 2026 HB652-FN add · effective 2026-01-01

    introductory paragraph of RSA 490-F:4 to read as follows: 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. The probate court

  • 2025 HB2 reference

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