New Hampshire Court Records
New Hampshire courts that kept records of genealogical value were established as follows:For naturalization records after September 1906, contact the local Immigration and Naturalization office or the National Archives-Northeast Region (Boston).
- 1682–present Justices of the peace have jurisdiction over minor civil and criminal matters in each town.
- 1769–1824 Courts of General Quarter Sessions handled civil and criminal matters (1769–1794 and 1820–1824).
- 1769–1859 The Courts of Common Pleas had jurisdiction over civil matters (1769–1820 and 1824–1859).
- 1769–present Superior Courts are countywide courts with jurisdiction over divorce and alimony, marriages, equity matters, and some appeals (1769–1813, 1816–1855, and 1901–present).
- 1874–1876 Circuit Courts held appellate jurisdiction during this period.
- 1813–present The Supreme Court is the statewide appellate court (1813–1816, 1855–1874, 1876–present).
Probate records from 1636–1771, originally filed in Portsmouth and Exeter, are now in the collection at the New Hampshire Records Management and Archives. Later probate records are now found in the county courthouses of each county. These probate records include the original wills and estate inventories, as well as letters, bills, affidavits, and receipts. Records from the towns along the Massachusetts border could be found in either Massachusetts or New Hampshire.
Check out the following website to read about and share experiences from courthouse research.
http://www.bcpl.net/~dmg/courthouse.htm#New%20Hampshire
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