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1 N.H. L. Wkly. 1 (1974-1975)

handle is hein.barjournals/nhlw0001 and id is 1 raw text is: oline 1, Number I l'eek of July 22, 1974 Superior Court Acts on Study Recommendations At meetings of the Justices of the New Hampshire Superior Court on April 19th and May 24, 1974, the following actions were taken regarding proposals for change in court procedures, policies and rules recommended by a study recently completed by the National Center for State Courts relative to the impact of domestic relations cases on the Superior Court: ,lurisdiction and Caseload Recommendation: Superior Court judges should be assigned on a rotating basis, for a period of four months, to hear only domestic relations cases in Hillsborough County. Court Action: Disapproved. Rlecommendation: Use of a full-time domestic relations judge in Hillsborough County should be accompanied by development of a specialized supporting staff in domestic relations work. Court Action: Disapproved. Recommendation: The return day required for writs should be relaxed for parties bringing domestic relations cases forward on motion to modify orders. Court Action: Approved. Personnel Recommendation: Clerks should be precluded from hearing cases as masters. Court Action: Clerks will continue to hear marital cases when authorized by the Presiding Judge. Clerks are not to be paid extra for hearing such cases, either by the County, or a party. This will be taken into consideration by the com- mittee now studying Clerks' salaries. Fecommendation: Domestic relations masters should be selected from among the experienced Bar, and especially among willing part-time judges of the Probate and District Courts. The qualifications, selection, assignments, and compensation of masters should be based on guidelines promulgated by the Court. Court Action: Approved; provided, however, that applications from District and Probate Court Judges to become Marital Masters will be welcome, but not solicited, since it is felt that those Judges would prefer it this way. Court Action Relative to Marital Masters: A. Marital Masters shall be appointed in Hillsborough, Rockingham, Strafford and Merrimack Counties. 1. The number of such masters in each of these counties shall be determined by the Presiding Judge. 2. Appointments shall be made in each such county by the Presiding Judge. (a) Appointments shall be re-approved each term. 3. Qualifications of marital masters: (a) At least five years in practice. (b) Willing to serve at least one full day each week. B. Assignment of marital cases to masters. 1. The clerk shall designate a specific day, or days, each week, for hearing of marital cases by masters. 2. Cases shall be assigned so as to prevent crowding. 3. A limited number of cases shall be assigned to a particular master on a particular day. 4. The clerk shall determine which master, or masters, to assign on any day. C. Marital masters shall be authorized to hear all marital matters, except those involving contests as to custody, and except for violations. 1. As far as possible, a master sitting on the first hearing in a case will thereafter be assigned to take care of all matters pertaining to that case. D. Superior Court Justices will continue to hear marital cases to the following extent: i. They will hear all contested custody cases. 2. They will hear all violations. 3. They will hear other marital matters to the extent that time is available. E. Compensation of Marital Masters. 1. The full bench will set the fee from time to time. Tie fee is established at $125.00 per clay for the present. 2. The Presiding Justice will determine compensation to be paid marital masters not covered by the above fee. Recommendation: Clerks should prepare detailed caseload statistics for periodic reports to the office of the Chief Justice of the Superior Court and to the New Hampshire Judicial Council. Court Action: Disapproved. Finances Recommendation: The Superior Court should immediately institute a study of all court finances. Procedures should be established for the Superior Court in each county to be fully accountable to the Chief Justice, and for rationalization of the present system of court financial support from the state, counties, and litigants themselves. Court Action: The Municipal Ac- counting Division of the State promised, over 1 year ago, to make a survey of accounting methods in Clerks' offices, and make recommendations. They recently started on this in Merrimack County. To this extent recommendation C is approved. Dignity and Thoroughness of Proceedings Continued on third page

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