May 18, 2021 marked the long-awaited reopening of New Hampshire state courts. All New Hampshire court buildings, including the Supreme Court, superior courts, and circuit courts are now fully open to the public during regular business hours. Clerks at each court facility are again accessible to the public to assist with questions, court filings and documents, and review of case files. Persons entering court facilities must continue to wear masks and practice safe social distancing.
After a plethora of emergency orders in response to the pandemic dating back to early 2020, the Supreme Court notes that this will be its final order relating to COVID-19. The decision to fully reopen comes several months after state courts began to ease certain COVID-19 restrictions, allowing more judicial proceedings to be conducted in-person.
In its order, the Supreme Court writes that since August 2020, the superior courts have held forty-six in-person jury trials utilizing appropriate COVID-19 safety measures. As of May 18, 2021, in addition to jury trials and grand jury proceedings, many types of proceedings at the circuit courts and superior courts may now be held in-person. The Supreme Court is set to begin hearing in-person oral arguments on May 27, 2021.
Individuals with questions should reach out to their respective court.
