Courts in New Hampshire will be gradually expanding in-person operations to the public, starting with the state Supreme Court, which is allowing the public to its clerk’s office and law library as of April 27.
In-person oral arguments at the court will resume on May 5.
At the superior court, in-person hearings will be expanded. They will include suppression; contested pleas, sentencing, and violations of probation; drug court termination hearings; contested civil hearings; and bench trials.
The circuit court will resume in-person final hearings in domestic violence or stalking cases and in adjudicatory hearings in abuse and neglect cases.
The superior and circuit courts will stay open for parties of scheduled hearings, those reporting for jury service, emergency relief, landlord and tenant cases.
Court officials said by developing a COVID-19 jury trial protocol, switching to video and telephonic hearings, and equipping staff for remote operations, the superior court was able to avoid a case processing backlog. More than 44,170 hearings were conducted in 11 superior courts during the pandemic and 24 jury trials have been held since August 2020. All superior courts are now conducting jury trials.