Supreme Court Rules Table of Contents
(1) There is hereby established as follows the position of
administrative judge and an administrative council for the judicial branch.
(2) Administrative judges for the superior court, the
district court, the probate court, and the family division shall be appointed by
the chief justice of the supreme court, with the concurrence of a majority of
the supreme court. The appointment shall be for a term to be stated in the order
of appointment, but subject to the pleasure of the appointing authority.
(3) Within each of the superior court, the district court,
and the probate court, a policy formulation committee shall be chosen by each of
the courts.
(4) An administrative council is established to facilitate
communications among the various courts and the administrative office of the
courts. Membership on the council shall include each administrative judge and
the director of the administrative office of the courts. The chief justice of
the supreme court shall designate an associate justice to serve as liaison
between the supreme court and the administrative council. The
administrative council shall meet regularly maintaining a flexible agenda,
providing the opportunity to exchange views, measure progress, resolve
conflicts, receive recommendations from the policy formulation committees and
make recommendations to the supreme court. The administrative council
shall keep the supreme court apprised of matters being considered by the council
and shall meet periodically with the supreme court to enhance the effective and
efficient administration of the judicial branch.
(5) Role and Responsibilities of the Administrative Judge.
The administrative judge has general supervisory responsibility for the
administration, operation and improvement of the court in order to provide for
the expeditious disposition of all cases over which the court has jurisdiction,
subject to the policies, rules, orders and guidelines established by the supreme
court. Pending further order of the supreme court, the chief justice of the
superior court shall be its administrative judge. The administrative judge, in
addition to the foregoing, shall, when not in conflict with part II, article
73-a of the New Hampshire Constitution, have such duties and responsibilities as
may be conferred by statute.
Without limiting the foregoing, the responsibilities of the
administrative judge include the following:
(a) Exercising supervisory powers
over judges, clerks, registers and court personnel;
(b) The employment and discharge of
all personnel in accordance with budgetary and personnel rules and regulations
and such policies as have been established by the supreme court;
(c) Issuing superior court, district
court, probate court, or family division administrative orders as may be
required from time to time to carry out the responsibilities of the office;
(d) Effectuating compliance by judges
and court personnel with all applicable court rules, provisions of law and
administrative orders;
(e) Counseling, assisting and
supervising judges in their conduct and in the performance of their
administrative responsibilities;
(f) Appointing court personnel to
committees of the court;
(g) Implementing established
policies, orders and regulations concerning the court's internal management and
operation, including but not limited to business hours, the timely disposition
of the court's business, judicial vacations and leaves of absence, attendance at
meetings, and education and training conferences;
(h) Supervising caseflow management;
(i) Assigning judges and court
personnel to court locations when workload and other factors so require, and
allocating equipment and other internal court resources where needed;
(j) Preparing the court budget
requests and supervising the financial affairs of the court;
(k) Representing the court on the
administrative council, and in its relations with other courts, other branches
of government, the bar, the general public, the news media, and in ceremonial
functions;
(
l) In the event of unavailability, designating an acting administrative
judge, subject to the approval of the supreme court;
(m) Performing any act or duty
incidental to carrying out the purposes of Administrative Order 90-002, dated
November 7, 1990.