Public Hearing Notice

The New Hampshire Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Rules will hold a PUBLIC HEARING at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 17, 2003, at the Supreme Court Building on Noble Drive in Concord, to receive the views of any member of the public, the bench, or the bar on court rules changes that the Committee is considering for possible recommendation to the Supreme Court.

Copies of the specific changes being considered by the Committee are available on request to the secretary of the Committee at the N.H. Supreme Court Building, Noble Drive, Concord, New Hampshire 03301 (Tel. 271-2646). In addition, the changes being considered are available on the Internet at: http://www.courts.state.nh.us/committees/adviscommrules/index.htm.

The rules changes cover a variety of proposals including various fee changes and:

• Supreme Court Rule 12(1) re confidentiality of case records. (Appendix A) - Establishes general rule to make all court records open for inspection except for statutory exceptions for cases involving abuse & neglect, juvenile, guardianship, or grand jury matters. In general, burden of proof for requiring confidentiality must be on persons seeking to seal records.
• Supreme Court Rule 19 re media access to court proceedings. (Appendix B)- Establishes procedures and sets limits on coverage of proceedings.
• Supreme Court Rule 42(11) and Supreme Court Rule 42(12) re admission to bar on motion for attorneys from Vermont and Maine. (Appendices C & D )
• Supreme Court Rule 56 (III) re performance evaluation of judges. (Appendix G)

The committee also will consider a consistent set of rules for each level of the courts regarding media coverage of court proceedings.

• Superior Court Rule 98 C. re discovery in criminal cases. (Appendix I)
• Revises Rule of Evidence 609 re impeachment by evidence of conviction of crime. (Appendix P)

Comments on any of these rules changes may be submitted in writing by December 16, 2003, or may be made at the hearing.

All suggestions for other rules changes may be submitted in writing to the secretary of the Committee for consideration by the Committee in the future.

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