This bill introduces several amendments to judicial administration. It changes the composition of the judicial council by increasing the number of members from the judicial branch administrative council from four to five and allowing for a clerk or administrator of the superior court and the circuit court to be selected by the respective chief justice and administrative judge. It also specifies that of the eight other members appointed by the governor and council, at least two must be lawyers with wide experience and members of the New Hampshire Bar Association admitted to practice for more than five years. Additionally, five other members appointed by the chief justice of the supreme court must meet similar criteria. The bill also modifies the definition of "part-time" within the New Hampshire retirement system to include the assistant director for safety and security of the judicial branch and raises the threshold for the supreme court to transfer appropriated funds without fiscal committee approval from $75,000 to $100,000.

The bill further amends the process for when a person is arrested with or without a warrant, stipulating that the individual must be taken to appear before a court without unreasonable delay and no later than 24 hours after arrest, except under certain conditions. It authorizes the courts to appoint contract or other qualified attorneys in the first instance when it is in the interest of justice and requires the judicial council to maintain records of such appointments. A report on the fiscal impact of these appointments is required by October 1, 2025. Finally, the provision allowing for the appointment of contract attorneys or other qualified attorneys is set to be repealed on January 1, 2026. The remainder of the act takes effect on August 2, 2024.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 494:1, 594:20-a, 604-A:2
As Amended by the House: 494:1, 594:20-a, 604-A:2, 9:17-d
As Amended by the Senate: 494:1, 594:20-a, 604-A:2, 100-A:1, 9:17-d
Version adopted by both bodies: 494:1, 594:20-a, 604-A:2, 100-A:1, 9:17-d
CHAPTERED FINAL VERSION: 494:1, 594:20-a, 604-A:2, 100-A:1, 9:17-d