Bill Text - SB604 (2020)

(New Title) naming certain courtrooms in the tenth circuit district court and relative to circuit court, district and family division cases in Rockingham county.


Revision: Jan. 30, 2020, 11:27 a.m.

SB 604 - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE

 

01/30/2020   0163s

2020 SESSION

20-2741

04/06

 

SENATE BILL 604

 

AN ACT naming certain courtrooms in the tenth circuit district court and relative to circuit court, district and family division cases in Rockingham county.

 

SPONSORS: Sen. Sherman, Dist 24; Rep. Edgar, Rock. 21; Rep. Loughman, Rock. 21; Rep. Bushway, Rock. 21; Rep. Cushing, Rock. 21; Rep. Janvrin, Rock. 37

 

COMMITTEE: Judiciary

 

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AMENDED ANALYSIS

 

This bill:

 

I.  Provides for naming of the 2 courtrooms in the tenth circuit district court house in Hampton after Justice H. Alfred Casassa and Justice Francis J. "Whitey" Frasier.

 

II.  Provides that the name of a person may be removed from the courtroom for certain acts of misconduct.

 

III.  Reassigns circuit court district and family division cases from certain towns in Rockingham county.

 

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

01/30/2020   0163s 20-2741

04/06

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty

 

AN ACT naming certain courtrooms in the tenth circuit district court and relative to circuit court, district and family division cases in Rockingham county.

 

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 

1  Findings.  The general court finds that:

I.  Since Hampton became a town in 1639, a system of appointed persons to hear disputes and maintain law and order has been in place.  In 1919, the police court was replaced by the municipal court.  In 1964, Hampton became a district court location serving Hampton, Hampton Falls, North Hampton, South Hampton, and Seabrook, the same communities that it serves today.

II.  In 1972, Governor Walter Peterson appointed H. Alfred Casassa to serve as a part-time judge.  Judge Casassa served through 1979 when the number of cases increased to 1,400 related to the protest demonstrations of the Seabrook nuclear power station and it was determined that the court needed to move to a full-time judge.

III.  In 1980, Francis J. "Whitey" Frasier was appointed as the first full-time judge of the court.  He served as a special judge under Judge Casassa.  Judge Frasier served 28 years on the bench of the Hampton district court until his retirement in 2008.

IV.  Because of the exemplary leadership of these individuals, and their demonstrated commitment to the community, the courtrooms in the new tenth circuit district court located at 2 Timber Swamp Road, Hampton shall be named in their honor.

2  Tenth Circuit Court, District Division; Courtrooms Named.  Courtroom One of the new tenth circuit district court building is hereby named after Francis "Whitey" Frasier, the first full-time judge for the court, and Courtroom Two in the new tenth circuit district court building is hereby named after H. Alfred Casassa, the last part-time judge serving the court.  Appropriate signage may be placed in the court house and at each courtroom.  

3  Removal of Name for Misconduct.  The chief justice of the supreme court may, upon his or her its own initiative or upon written complaint of any person which charges that a person whose name appears on a courtroom pursuant to section 2 of this act committed misconduct and which specifies the grounds therefor, remove the name of such person from the courtroom.  Misconduct sufficient to support removal of a name under this section shall include:

I.  The practice of fraud or deceit;

II.  Conviction of a felony or any offense involving moral turpitude;

III.  Any unprofessional conduct, or dishonorable conduct unworthy of, and affecting the judicial profession; or

IV.  Unfitness or incompetency by reason of negligent habits or other causes; or negligent or willful acts performed in a manner inconsistent with the interests of persons relying on the judicial profession.

4  Signage.  The cost of design, construction, maintenance, and installation of any signage, replacement of signage, or other markers permitted under this act shall not be a charge to the state.  However, the design, construction, and installation of any signage or other markers required under this act shall be approved by the judicial branch.

5  Judicial Districts; Rockingham County.  RSA 502-A:1, I-VI is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:

I.  PORTSMOUTH DISTRICT.  The Portsmouth district shall consist of the city of Portsmouth and the towns of Newington, Greenland, Rye, and New Castle.  The district court for the district shall be located in Portsmouth, holding sessions regularly therein and elsewhere in the district as justice may require.  The name of the court shall be Portsmouth District Court.

II.  HAMPTON DISTRICT.  The Hampton district shall consist of the towns of Hampton, Hampton Falls, North Hampton, South Hampton, and Seabrook.  The district division for the district shall be located in Hampton, holding sessions regularly therein and elsewhere in the district as justice may require.

III.  BRENTWOOD DISTRICT.  The Brentwood district shall consist of the towns of Exeter, Newmarket, Stratham, Newfields, Fremont, East Kingston, Kensington, Epping, Brentwood, Danville, Kingston, and Newton.  The district division for the district shall be located in Brentwood, holding sessions regularly therein and elsewhere in the district as justice may require.

IV.  DERRY DISTRICT.  The Derry district shall consist of the towns of Derry, Londonderry, Chester, and Sandown.  The district court for the district shall be located in Derry, holding sessions regularly therein and elsewhere in the district as justice may require.  The name of the court shall be Derry District Court.

V.  AUBURN-CANDIA-RAYMOND DISTRICT.  The Auburn-Candia-Raymond district shall consist of the towns of Auburn, Candia, Deerfield, Nottingham, Raymond, and Northwood.  The court shall be located in Auburn, Candia, or Raymond.  The court shall hold sessions regularly at the principal court location and elsewhere in the district as justice may require.  The court shall bear the name of the town in which it is located.

VI.  SALEM DISTRICT.  The Salem district shall consist of the towns of Salem, Windham, Atkinson, Hampstead, and Plaistow in Rockingham county and the town of Pelham in Hillsborough county.  The district court for the district shall be located in Salem, holding sessions regularly therein and elsewhere in the district as justice may require.  The name of the court shall be Salem District Court.

6  Judicial Branch Family Division; Sites.  Amend RSA 490-D:4, IV(d) to read as follows:

(d)  Matters arising in municipalities located within the [Exeter] Brentwood district [and the Plaistow district] shall be heard in the court facility in Brentwood.

7  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.