New Hampshire Family Court Suplemental Rules

Supreme Court Supplemental Rules New Hampshire

Rule 1. Applicability of These Rules

These rules, which shall be known as the “Supplemental Rules of the Supreme Court of New Hampshire for Electronic Filing,” govern the filing of documents in supreme court cases commenced on or after August 6, 2018. These rules also govern the filing of documents in any supreme court case commenced prior to August 6, 2018, if the supreme court converts the case to an electronic case in accordance with Rule 4(a) of these rules.

In the interest of expediting a decision, or for other good cause shown, the supreme court or a single justice thereof may suspend the requirements or provisions of any of these rules in any instance on application of a party or on the court’s or a single justice’s motion, and may order proceedings in accordance with that direction.

These rules shall be cited as “Sup. Ct. Supp. R. ____.”

Rule 2. Relationship to Other Rules

To the extent that these supplemental rules conflict with the existing Rules of the Supreme Court of New Hampshire (“Supreme Court Rules”) as to such matters as the filing, format, or service of a document, these rules supersede the Supreme Court Rules.  In all other respects, however, the Supreme Court Rules remain in full force and effect, and these rules shall supplement them.

Rule 3. Definitions

(a)  “Confidential” means a case record or portion of a case record, such as a particular document, that shall be available to all case parties and their attorneys or nonlawyer representatives, but shall not be available for public inspection pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 12(1)(b).

(b)  “Conventionally,” with respect to the filing of a document, means the filing of the document with the court in paper or other non-electronic format.  With respect to serving a party with a copy of a filed or court-issued document, “conventionally” means providing a copy of the filed or court-issued document to that party personally or by first-class mail in accordance with Supreme Court Rule 26.

(c)  “Document” means any written matter issued by or filed with the court, whether filed conventionally or electronically, including, but not limited to, notices of appeal, petitions, appendices, motions, objections, applications, notices, affidavits, briefs, memoranda of law, orders, and opinions.

(d)  “Electronic filing” means the process whereby a registered e-filer electronically submits a document to the supreme court in accordance with these rules to initiate a supreme court case or to file a document in an existing supreme court case.  With respect to a document submitted electronically for filing, “electronic filing” refers to the document and the associated information that the filer enters in the electronic filing system, both of which are subject to clerk review in accordance with Rules 9 and 11 of these rules.

(e)  “Electronic service,” with respect to a document or documents submitted electronically to the court by a party, means the electronic filing system’s transmission of an electronic notification of that submission to the electronic service address of each party who has consented to receive electronic service by registering as an e-filer.  The electronic notification will contain a hyperlink or other means for the registered e-filers to access the document or documents that were submitted electronically.  “Electronic service,” with respect to a document issued by the court, means the electronic filing system’s transmission of an electronic notification of the court-issued document to the electronic service address of each party who has consented to receive electronic service by registering as an e-filer.  The electronic notification will contain a hyperlink or other means for the registered e-filers to access the court-issued document.

(f)  “Electronic service address” of a party means the electronic mail (e-mail) address at or through which the party shall receive electronic service. 

(g)  “Electronic signature” is a signature, other than an inked signature, as authorized by these rules.

(h)  “Ex parte” document means a document submitted to the court for filing with the intention that the document shall be neither served on nor available to one or more other case parties, including their attorneys or nonlawyer representatives.

(i)  “Non-electronic signature” is an inked signature.

(j)  “Party” or “parties” has the meaning established by Rules 7(4) and 28 of the Supreme Court Rules and includes an attorney or nonlawyer representative acting on behalf of a party, except where the context clearly indicates a distinction between a party and the party’s attorney or nonlawyer representative.

(k)  “Registered e-filer” means a person, including an attorney, a self-represented party, or a nonlawyer representative under Supreme Court Rule 33(2), who has registered with the electronic filing system in order to submit documents for filing with the court, as required by these rules.

(l)  “Supreme Court case” or “case,” in the context of a supreme court proceeding governed by these rules, includes all of the following: an appeal pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 7; an appeal pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 7-B; an interlocutory appeal pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 8; an interlocutory transfer pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 9; an appeal from an administrative agency pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 10; a petition for original jurisdiction pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 11; a certified question of law pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 34; a request for an advisory opinion of the justices pursuant to Part II, Article 74, of the New Hampshire Constitution; an attorney discipline matter pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 37; a judicial discipline matter pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 40; a matter involving administration or supervision of the New Hampshire Bar; and a matter involving a proposed rule or rule amendment pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 51.

Rule 4. Scope of Electronic Filing: General Provisions

(a)  Except as otherwise provided by these rules or by order of the supreme court, documents shall be submitted to the court for filing as follows:

1.  In Cases Commenced in the Supreme Court prior to August 6, 2018.  Attorneys, self-represented parties, and nonlawyer representatives must submit all documents conventionally in accordance with the Supreme Court Rules.  Such cases are not subject to these supplemental rules and are not available for electronic filing, absent a specific court order to the contrary.  However, a party may file a written motion with the court to request to convert such a non-electronic case to an electronic-filing case.  If the court grants the motion, or decides on its own motion to convert the case to an electronic-filing case, the case will thereafter be governed by these rules.  Following the order for conversion of the non-electronic case to an electronic-filing case, the parties must ensure that documents submitted after the conversion date comply with all provisions of these rules.
2.  In Cases Commenced in the Supreme Court on or after August 6, 2018, but prior to January 1, 2020.  Attorneys must submit all documents through the court’s electronic filing system.  This requirement applies both to New Hampshire Bar members and to attorneys admitted pro hac vice.  Self-represented parties and nonlawyer representatives must submit all documents conventionally.  However, a party may file a written motion with the court to request permission for a self-represented party or a nonlawyer representative to submit documents in the case through the electronic filing system.  If the court grants the motion, or decides on its own motion to require a self-represented party or a nonlawyer representative to submit documents in the case through the electronic filing system, that self-represented party or nonlawyer representative shall thereafter be treated as a registered e-filer in the case for all purposes, including the electronic filing and electronic service of documents.
3.  In Cases Commenced in the Supreme Court on or after January 1, 2020.  Attorneys, self-represented parties, and nonlawyer representatives must submit all documents, including notices of appeal or other case-initiating documents, through the court’s electronic filing system.

(b)  When applicable pursuant to paragraph (a), the requirement to submit documents through the electronic filing system extends to nonconfidential documents in nonconfidential cases, confidential documents in nonconfidential cases, and documents in confidential cases, with the exception of the document types listed in Rule 6 of these rules.

(c)  Unless the court has specifically ordered otherwise in advance, faxing or e-mailing documents, outside of the electronic filing system, to the court or to a justice or court employee does not constitute “filing” in any supreme court case, regardless of the case’s date of commencement.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, in a Supreme Court Rule 7-B appeal, the minor may file documents in accordance with any of the filing methods permitted by Rule 7-B.

Rule 5. Scope of Electronic Filing: Requesting Exemption Based Upon Party’s Status or Hardship

A party who is required by these rules to file electronically in a supreme court case may be excused from the requirement of electronic filing in the following circumstances:

(a) The supreme court may fully excuse a party from electronic filing in the case if the court finds that: (1) a party is protected by law from disclosing certain identifying or contact information, and electronic filing would defeat or undermine that protection; or (2) extraordinary circumstances exist that would render electronic filing such a hardship that the party would be denied access to the court.  A party requesting to be fully excused from the requirement of electronic filing shall conventionally file a motion with the court setting forth the reasons for the request.  The motion should be filed with the party’s first filing in the case, and the party’s first filing may be conventionally filed subject to the court’s ruling on the motion.  If the motion is granted, the party who is fully excused from the requirement of electronic filing shall file documents conventionally, shall serve documents conventionally on other parties, and shall be served documents conventionally by other parties and the court.

(b)  A self-represented individual over whom guardianship is sought or ordered, or a self-represented individual for whom involuntary admission or commitment is sought or ordered, is exempt from the requirement of electronic filing and need not file a motion to be excused.

(c)  A self-represented incarcerated party who notifies the court in writing of his or her incarceration is exempt from the requirement of electronic filing until such time as that party is no longer incarcerated.  A self-represented incarcerated party need not file a motion to be excused.

(d) In the interest of expediting a decision, or for other good cause shown, the supreme court may permit, on its own motion or the motion of a party, a limited exception to the requirement of electronic filing by allowing a party who is not otherwise excused pursuant to this rule to initiate a case conventionally or to file a document in an existing case conventionally.

Rule 6. Scope of Electronic Filing: Exceptions Based Upon Case Type or Document Type

(a)  A supreme court case concerning a proposed rule or rule amendment pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 51 shall be opened by the supreme court, and not initiated by an interested person through the electronic filing system.  However, all filings subsequent to the court’s case initiation shall be governed by these rules.

(b)  A document that is submitted through the electronic filing system must be in one of the following formats only: .doc; .docx; or .pdf.  Accordingly, any material for filing in a case that cannot reasonably be submitted through the electronic filing system as a .doc, .docx. or .pdf document, such as physical exhibits, demonstrative evidence, and video or audio recordings, must be conventionally filed.

(c)  A document that is submitted for in camera review shall not be submitted through the electronic filing system.  The document must be conventionally filed.

(d)  An ex parte document, as defined in Rule 3 of these rules, shall not be submitted through the electronic filing system.  The document must be conventionally filed, and the title of the document must state that the document is filed ex parte.

(e)  A document submitted in a confidential case by a person who is not a party, an attorney of record to a party, or a court-authorized nonlawyer representative of a party shall not be submitted through the electronic filing system.  The document must be conventionally submitted, following which a determination will be made as to whether to docket the document and to allow the person to file and receive documents electronically in the case.

(f)  A motion pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 21B to withdraw a criminal appeal shall not be submitted through the electronic filing system.  The document must be conventionally filed.

(g)  The certified copy of the record in a municipal land-use appeal or in an appeal from an administrative agency may be conventionally filed.

(h)  A trial court’s record or a portion thereof that is ordered to be transmitted pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 14(2) may be conventionally filed.

(i)  A Supreme Court Rule 9 interlocutory transfer statement may be conventionally filed by the trial court or administrative agency.

(j)  A certified question pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 34 may be conventionally filed by the Supreme Court of the United States, by a court of appeals of the United States, or of the District of Columbia, or by a United States district court.

(k)  A mediator’s Appellate Mediation Report may be conventionally filed.

Rule 7. Official Court Record and Public Inspection

For a supreme court case governed by these rules, the official court record of docket entries and documents, whether filed electronically or conventionally, shall be the electronic case file maintained by the clerk of court in the supreme court’s case management system.  Accordingly, the clerk in such a case will scan or otherwise convert a conventionally filed document into an electronic document for entry in the court’s electronic case file, unless the nature of the conventionally filed document (such as a physical exhibit) makes it technologically infeasible to do so.  The clerk need not maintain or retain any conventionally filed document after the clerk scans or otherwise converts that document into an electronic document for entry in the court’s electronic case file.  If the nature of a conventionally filed document makes it technologically infeasible to scan or otherwise convert the document into an electronic document for entry in the court’s electronic case file, the document as conventionally filed shall be part of the court’s official record and shall be maintained in its conventionally filed format.

In accordance with Supreme Court Rule 12(1)(a), the public may inspect nonconfidential cases governed by these rules and nonconfidential documents in an electronic format at the clerk’s office during regular business hours, except that a nonconfidential document that is maintained in its conventionally filed format shall be made available for inspection in its conventionally filed format.  Following issuance of the mandate or the close of the supreme court case, however, any documents that are part of the trial court or administrative agency record and were conventionally filed by the trial court or administrative agency, including records transmitted pursuant to Supreme Court Rules 10(3) and 14(2), may be returned by the clerk to the trial court or administrative agency.

Rule 8. Registration Requirements

(a)  Registration.  To initiate a supreme court case or to file or receive a document through the court’s electronic filing system, a person must first become a registered e-filer by completing an online registration and accepting the conditions of electronic filing, including those set forth in the “Responsibilities of Registered E-Filer” section of this rule.

(b)  Responsibilities of Registered E-Filer.

(1)  A registered e-filer is responsible for all documents that are filed via the registered e-filer’s username and password.  A registered e-filer shall not knowingly cause or permit the registered e-filer’s log-in information to be used by any other person; provided, however, that an attorney may permit the attorney’s log-in information to be used by attorneys and nonlawyer assistants over whom the attorney exercises supervisory responsibilities in compliance with the New Hampshire Rules of Professional Conduct.

(2)  Any electronic filing, or downloading or viewing of an electronic filing, made by use of a username and password shall be deemed to have been made with the authorization of the person registered to use the log-in information.

(3)  If a person’s log-in information is misappropriated, misused or compromised in any way, the person registered to use that log-in information must promptly notify the clerk.

(4)  For good cause shown, the court may issue an order prohibiting a registered e-filer from filing electronically in a particular case or in all cases.

(5)  A registered e-filer must maintain an electronic service address during the pendency of the case at which the registered e-filer consents to receive and agrees to accept through the electronic filing system copies of electronically submitted documents, as well as notices and orders issued electronically by the court.  Whenever notice or service to a registered e-filer is required, notice or service to the electronic service address of record in the electronic filing system shall satisfy the requirement and shall be deemed binding on the registered e-filer and on any party that the registered e-filer represents in the case.

(6)  A registered e-filer must maintain accurate contact information in the court’s electronic filing system.  This obligation is separate from, and in addition to, a party’s obligation under Supreme Court Rule 26(9) and a New Hampshire Bar member’s obligation under Supreme Court Rule 42E to provide accurate and up-to-date contact information.

(7)  If a registered e-filer is no longer a participant in any pending supreme court case and does not wish to remain active in the electronic filing system, the registered e-filer may deactivate his or her registration status in the system.

Rule 9. Timing and Timeliness of Filings: General Provisions

(a)  Availability of Electronic Filing System.  Electronic submission of a document may be made any day of the week, including weekends and holidays, and at any time of day that the electronic filing system is available.  The expansive availability of the electronic filing system shall not affect the provisions for computation and extension of time set forth by statute or by Supreme Court Rule 27.

(b)  Timing of Electronic Filings.  When a document is submitted through the electronic filing system, the electronic filing system shall issue to the filer an electronic notification that confirms the document’s submission and shall issue to each other registered e-filer in the case an electronic notification that constitutes service of the submitted document.  Following receipt of the submission, the clerk shall review the submitted document to determine whether the document should be docketed.  If the clerk dockets the document, the electronic filing system shall issue an electronic notification to the filer that the submission has been so docketed, and the document shall be deemed to have been filed on the date that it was submitted, unless that date is a Saturday, Sunday, legal holiday, or other day that the clerk’s office is closed, in which case the document shall be deemed to have been filed on the next day that the clerk’s office is open for business.  If the clerk rejects the submitted document for docketing purposes, the clerk shall issue an electronic notification through the electronic filing system advising the filer that the submission has been so rejected, and the document shall be deemed not to have been filed.

(c)  Timing of Conventional Filings.  A document that is filed conventionally in a case subject to these rules shall be governed by Supreme Court Rule 26(1) with respect to the timing of the filing.

(d)  Timeliness of Filings.  A document that is electronically submitted through the court’s electronic filing system and docketed by the clerk shall be deemed timely if it is filed, as measured by (b) above, at or before 11:59:59 p.m. on the date that the filing is due.  A document that is filed conventionally in a case subject to these rules shall be deemed timely if it is filed, as measured by Supreme Court Rule 26(1), on or before the date that the filing is due.

Rule 10. Timing and Timeliness of Filings: Effect of Technical Failure

(a)  Under these rules, a “technical failure” is deemed to have occurred when the electronic filing system cannot receive electronic submissions continuously or intermittently over the course of any period of time greater than one hour after 12:30 p.m. on a given day, excepting such periods resulting from scheduled system maintenance for which public notice was provided.  A filer shall immediately report a technical failure by calling the clerk’s office at 603-229-3759.

(b)  A filer who encounters a technical failure may conventionally submit the document for filing, provided that the document is accompanied by a motion for relief from technical failure that attests to the filer’s unsuccessful attempts to timely submit the document through the electronic filing system.

(c)  If a filer misses a filing due date as a result of a technical failure, the filer may electronically or conventionally submit the document for filing on the first day on which the clerk’s office is open for business following the missed due date.  The document shall be accompanied by a motion for relief from technical failure that attests to the filer’s unsuccessful attempts to timely submit the document through the electronic filing system.  If the motion is granted, the document shall be deemed to have been submitted on the day that the technical failure prevented the filer’s submission.

(d)  A technical problem with the filer’s computer or systems, including but not limited to a telephone line problem, a problem with the filer’s internet service, or a problem with the filer’s hardware or software, does not constitute a “technical failure” under these rules and will not excuse an untimely filing, unless the court orders otherwise.  In such a circumstance, the filer may submit the document conventionally, along with a motion explaining how the filer’s technical problem prevented an electronic submission of the document through the electronic filing system.

Rule 11. Format of Filings

(a)  Selection of Case and Document Types.  So far as possible, a party initiating a case electronically should identify the correct case category, case type, and case subtype from the available selections in the electronic filing system, and a party filing a document electronically should identify the correct filing type and filing subtype from the available selections in the electronic filing system.  Upon review, the clerk may, when necessary and appropriate, modify a filer’s selections to comply with the court’s internal standards for case classification and document classification, but the clerk shall not reject any submission on the sole basis of incorrect selections unless the filer’s selection of the incorrect case category prevents the clerk from processing the case in its correct category in the court’s case management system.

(b)  Formatting and Word Limits.  An electronically filed document must comply with the formatting and word-limit requirements for conventionally filed documents as set forth in the Supreme Court Rules, except that colored-cover, binding, and related requirements shall not apply to electronically filed documents.

(c)  Acceptable Formats for Electronically Filed Documents.  A document that is submitted through the electronic filing system must be in one of the following formats only: .doc; .docx; or .pdf.  The electronic filing system will not accept documents or other material in any other format.  A document that is submitted in .doc or .docx format will be converted to .pdf text-searchable format by the electronic filing system.  So far as possible, the filer shall submit a document that has been converted or is convertible to .pdf text-searchable format.  If the filer possesses only a paper copy of the document, a scanned .pdf that is not text searchable may be submitted.  A scanned document shall conform with a standard of no less than 200 and no more than 300 dots per inch.  A filer shall not electronically submit a document that contains tracking tags, embedded systems commands, password protections, access restrictions or other security features, special tags or dynamic features.

(d)  Size Limits on Documents for Electronic Submission.  No individual document exceeding 25 megabytes, either in converted or scanned .pdf format, shall be submitted through the electronic filing system.  Any document exceeding 25 megabytes must be divided into separate documents of less than 25 megabytes, and each separate document should be identified as a part of the overall document.

(e)  Filer’s Requirement to Retain Scanned Document.  With the exception of paper documents that were filed in the trial court or administrative agency from which the appeal is taken, any paper document that is converted by the filer to .pdf format through a scanner and then filed using the electronic filing system must be retained by the filer until the issuance of the mandate or the close of the case.  Upon request of the court or any party, the filer must make the paper document available for inspection.

(f)  Hyperlinks.  Hyperlinks and other electronic navigational aids may be included – and are encouraged – in an electronically filed document as an aid to the court.  Although hyperlinks may be included in a document as an aid to the court, the material referred to by a hyperlink is not considered part of the official record unless it is already part of the record in the case.  Each hyperlink must contain a record reference to the target of the link.  Hyperlinks to cited authority may not replace standard citation format for constitutional citations, statutes, cases, rules or other similarly cited materials.

(g)  Format of Conventional Filings.  Documents that are conventionally filed in a supreme court case governed by these rules will be scanned or otherwise converted by the clerk into electronic documents for entry in the court’s electronic case file.  Accordingly, documents must be printed only on the front side of each page, be logically organized and separate from other documents, and be submitted to the court with no tabs, durable bindings, or difficult-to-remove fasteners that would interfere with the clerk’s ability to scan or otherwise convert the documents into an electronic format.  If a timely filed document does not conform to this rule or is not clearly legible, the clerk may require the filer to resubmit the document, but the document shall not thereby be deemed untimely.

Rule 12. Paper Copies Not Required or Allowed

Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in the Supreme Court Rules, a filer who submits a document electronically or conventionally in a case governed by these rules need not and shall not file any paper copies of the document with the court, unless otherwise ordered to do so.

Rule 13. Signatures on Filings

(a)  Original Electronic Document Deemed Signed.  The electronic submission of a document by a registered e-filer shall be considered a signed original if:

(1)  The document is electronically signed by the registered e-filer either with the typed symbol /s/ followed by the typed name of the registered e-filer submitting the document (example: /s/ John Smith), or with a graphic representation of the filer’s actual signature; and

(2)  Unless the document is a court form, the document including the electronic signature also includes the following information:

(A) name (in addition to name typed as part of electronic signature in section (1));
(B) address;
(C) telephone number (if available);
(D) e-mail address (if available);
(E) law firm (for attorneys only); and
(F) bar identification number (for attorneys only).

(b)  When Multiple Signatures on Electronic Document Are Required.

(1)  When multiple signatures are required on a document that is submitted electronically, each person named as a signer of the document shall either:

(A) sign in one of the ways a filer signs documents described
in (a)(1) above; or

(B) authorize the filer to sign the document on his or her behalf.  The filer shall represent having obtained approval to sign for another signer named in the document as follows:

Typed symbol /s/ followed by the typed name of the other signer, followed by, “Signed by [filer’s name] with permission of [other signer’s name.]”

Example: /s/ Jennifer Jones, signed by John Smith with permission of Jennifer Jones.

(2)  The electronic signature of each named signer shall be accompanied by the same information required to accompany the filer’s electronic signature described above in (a)(2).  However, when a document is signed with permission of another named signer, the filer’s information shall accompany only the filer’s own signature.

(3)  Notwithstanding the above, the court, in its discretion, may require a graphic representation of any filer’s actual signature.

(c)  Effect of Electronic Signature.  An electronic signature meeting the requirements described above in (a)(1) and (2) shall be considered the functional equivalent to a non-electronic signature produced on paper.

(d)  Challenge to Authenticity of Signature on Electronic Document.  Any party to a case may challenge the authenticity of the signature on an electronically filed document by filing an objection within 10 days after discovery that the signature is not authentic, provided that the objection is filed prior to issuance of the mandate or the close of the supreme court case.  After issuance of the mandate or the close of the supreme court case, a party seeking to challenge the authenticity of the signature on an electronically filed document may pursue appropriate relief through any otherwise available procedures.

(e)  Signature on Conventional Filings.  A document that is conventionally filed must contain the original non-electronic signature of each person submitting the document, along with the information described above in (a)(2).

Rule 14. Signatures on Court-Issued Electronic Documents

(a)  Justice’s Signature.  If an electronic document requires a justice’s signature, the document shall be deemed signed if it bears one of the following:

(1)  the typed symbol /s/ followed by the typed name of the justice (example: /s/ John Smith); or

(2)  a graphic representation of the justice’s signature.

(b)  Clerk’s Signature.  If an electronic document requires the clerk’s signature, the document shall be deemed signed if it bears one of the following:

(1)  the typed symbol /s/ followed by the typed name of the clerk (example /s/ John Smith); or

(2)  a graphic representation of the clerk’s signature.

Comment

          This rule does not itself create any requirement that orders, opinions or other documents contain a signature of the clerk or a justice.

Rule 15. Notarized Signatures on Electronic Documents (Notarial Acts)

(a)  A notarial act associated with an electronically filed document must conform to the requirements of notarial acts and signatures provided in RSA chapter 456-B and RSA chapter 294-E.

(b)  The signature of a person who executed an electronically filed document and the signature of a person who performed a notarial act related to such a document must be presented by:

(1)  The typed symbol /s/ followed by the typed name of the signer(s) (example: /s/ John Smith); or

(2)  The graphic representation of each signer’s actual signature.

(c)  Any party to a case or person with standing may challenge the authenticity of the signature of a person who performed a notarial act on a document filed electronically in that case by filing an objection within 10 days after discovery that the signature is not authentic, provided that the objection is filed prior to issuance of the mandate or the close of the supreme court case.  After issuance of the mandate or the close of the supreme court case, a party or person with standing who seeks to challenge the authenticity of the signature of a person who performed a notarial act on a document filed electronically may pursue appropriate relief through any otherwise available procedures.

Comment

For requirements of notarial acts and signatures on electronic documents, see, especially, RSA 456-B:7 and RSA 294-E:2, VIII, RSA 294-E:9, and RSA 294-E:11.

Rule 16. Confidential Filings

The electronic filing of a case or document does not affect the confidential status to which the case or document may otherwise be entitled under applicable law, including Supreme Court Rule 12.

(a)  Filing a Document that is Partially Confidential in a Nonconfidential Case.  This provision applies in a nonconfidential case to a party’s filing of a document a portion of which contains material that has been determined to be confidential by the trial court, administrative agency, other tribunal, or the supreme court.  A party who files a document that is partially confidential must:

(1) notify the court, at the time of filing and in a conspicuous manner, that the document contains confidential material, and identify the specific basis for confidentiality;
(2) file the document with the confidential material;
(3) file a redacted version of the document, from which the confidential material has been removed; and   
(4) if a party is submitting the document electronically, the party must:

(A) notify the court of the document’s status as confidential by designating the document as confidential in the electronic filing system and by indicating in the electronic filing system the basis for the document’s confidentiality, because doing so will prevent the document from being available for public inspection; and
(B) electronically submit the redacted version of the document without designating it as confidential in the electronic filing system, so that the redacted version is available for public inspection.

(b)  Filing a Confidential Document in a Nonconfidential Case.  This provision applies in a nonconfidential case to a party’s filing of a document that has been determined to be confidential in its entirety by the trial court, administrative agency, other tribunal, or the supreme court.  A party who files a document that is confidential in its entirety must notify the court, at the time of filing and in a conspicuous manner, that the document is confidential, along with the specific basis for confidentiality.  If the party is submitting that document electronically, the party must notify the court of the document’s status as confidential by designating the document as confidential in the electronic filing system and indicating in the electronic filing system the basis for the document’s confidentiality, because doing so will prevent the document from being available for public inspection.

(c)  Filings in a Confidential Case.  This provision applies to a case that has been determined to be confidential in its entirety by the trial court, administrative agency, other tribunal, or the supreme court.  A party who initiates a confidential case must indicate in a conspicuous manner on the notice of appeal form or in the appeal document or other case-initiating document that the entire case is confidential, along with the specific basis for confidentiality.  If the case is initiated electronically, the filer shall not designate the case-initiating document as confidential in the electronic filing system because doing so will defeat the ability of parties to view the case-initiating document through the “Case View” functionality of the electronic filing system.  Similarly, a party who electronically submits a subsequent document in a confidential case shall not designate the document as confidential in the electronic filing system because doing so will defeat the ability of parties to view that particular document through the “Case View” functionality of the electronic filing system.  If a document is electronically designated by a party as confidential in contravention of this provision, the clerk may remove the designation, but the clerk’s removal of the designation shall not thereby alter the confidential status of the case or document.

(d)  Confidential Filings When There Has Been No Prior Determination of Confidentiality.  As set forth in Supreme Court Rule 12(2)(b), a party or other person with standing who seeks to have the case record or a portion of the case record, such as a particular document, determined to be confidential by the supreme court must file a motion to seal.  In addition to the procedure set forth in Rule 12(2)(b), if the party who seeks a determination of confidentiality is electronically submitting the case or document for which the confidentiality determination is sought, the party must:

(1) file the motion to seal electronically, but not designate the motion itself as confidential in the electronic filing system;
(2) designate each document for which confidentiality is sought as confidential in the electronic filing system; and
(3) indicate in the electronic filing system the basis for confidentiality.  The party’s designation of a document as confidential in the electronic filing system neither establishes confidentiality nor takes the place of a motion to seal as required by Supreme Court Rule 12(2)(b).  Upon filing of the motion to seal, the case record or the portion of the case record which is the subject of the motion shall be kept confidential pending a ruling on the motion.  If the motion to seal is denied, the clerk shall remove the confidential designation of the case record or document in the court’s case management system.

(e)  Court Action When Confidentiality is Required.  The failure of a party filing electronically to comply with the provisions of this rule, or the failure of a party or other person with standing to request that a case record or a portion of a case record be confidential, shall not preclude the court from determining on its own motion that a statute, administrative or court rule, or other compelling interest requires that a case record or a portion of a case record be kept confidential.  However, the responsibility for properly designating and identifying confidential material in accordance with this rule rests solely with the parties and their attorneys.  It is not the responsibility of the court or the clerk to review each document to ensure that confidential material has been properly designated and identified as confidential.

(f)  Documents Submitted Ex Parte or for In Camera Review.  The procedures set forth in this Rule 16 do not apply to documents submitted ex parte or to documents submitted for in camera review.  As set forth in Rule 6 of these rules, such documents must be conventionally filed.

Rule 17. Formal Service of Process

A document that requires personal service or other formal service of process on a party to confer jurisdiction over that party as a matter of law shall not be served electronically, unless the court authorizes electronic service in the case.  If electronic service is not authorized, the document must be served in the manner required by applicable law.

Rule 18. Electronic Service of Documents to Registered E-Filers

(a)  Service on Party or Party’s Representative.  Service on a self-represented party shall be made on the party.  Service on a party represented by an attorney or nonlawyer representative shall be made on the representative.  In accordance with Rule 3(j) of these rules, “party” in the context of service includes a party’s attorney or nonlawyer representative.

(b)  Effect of Electronic Service.  Electronic service, as defined in these rules, satisfies the requirement in Supreme Court Rule 26(2) that a filer provide to all other parties a copy of each filing at or before the time of filing.  In addition, whenever notice to a party is required, notice to the electronic service address of the party shall be deemed notice to, and binding on, the party.

(c)  Acceptance of Electronic Service by Registered E-Filers; Conventional Service Required to Other Parties.

(1)  Registration as an e-filer in the electronic filing system shall constitute a person’s consent to acceptance of electronic service of court documents and documents electronically submitted by other registered e-filers in the case, provided that the requirement of electronic filing applies to the case and to the person as determined by Rule 4(a) and Rule 5 of these rules.  Except as otherwise provided by these rules or by court order, no other form of delivery to a registered e-filer by a registered e-filer is permitted as valid service.  When a registered e-filer submits a document to the court through the electronic filing system, and one or more other parties to the case or their representatives have registered as e-filers, the filing party must cause electronic service through the filing system to be made on each other registered e-filer by so designating at the time of the filing party’s submission.  If an e-filer uses the electronic filing system’s “Exclude from eService” or “Not Served” functionality to circumvent this requirement, the clerk may reject the submission.

(2)  A party who is not required to file electronically in the case shall be conventionally served by providing the party, at the time of filing, with a paper copy of each document filed.  See Supreme Court Rule 26(2) and (3)(a).  A party who is not required to file electronically in the case shall conventionally serve each of his or her filings by providing, at the time of filing, a paper copy of each filing to the other parties.  See Supreme Court Rule 26(2) and (3)(a).  It is the responsibility of the party submitting a document for filing to provide a copy of the document to other parties in accordance with this provision and (c)(1), above.  With respect to a court-issued document, the clerk’s office will conventionally serve the document on each party who is not required to file electronically in the case.

(3)  A party who is presumptively required by these rules to file electronically in the case, but who has not yet registered as an e-filer, must be conventionally served in accordance with (c)(2), above; provided, however, that in a case when all parties are represented by attorneys and a stipulation for e-mail service was filed in the trial court or administrative agency in compliance with applicable rules of that tribunal, see, e.g., Superior Court Rule 3(b); District Division Rule 1.3-A(B), the “appeal document” (as defined by Supreme Court Rule 3) shall be served in accordance with the stipulation, and such service shall be deemed valid conventional service.  A party who is presumptively required by these rules to file electronically in the case, but who has not yet registered as an e-filer and who has requested an exemption from the requirement of electronic filing must conventionally serve each of his or her filings to other parties in accordance with (c)(2), above.  It is the responsibility of the party submitting a document for filing to provide a copy of the document to other parties in accordance with this provision and (c)(1), above.  With respect to a court-issued document, the clerk’s office will conventionally serve the document on each party in the case who has not yet registered as an e-filer or who has requested an exemption from the requirement of electronic filing.

(d)  Certificate of Service.  A party submitting a document for filing, whether electronically or conventionally, must include a statement in the document in accordance with Supreme Court Rule 26(7) certifying that a copy of the document is being timely provided to all other parties in the case.   Unless the document is a court form, the certification in the document must identify the name of each party receiving a copy of the document through the electronic filing system’s electronic service and the name of each party receiving a paper copy of the document through conventional service.

(e)  Court-Issued Documents.  The clerk’s office will electronically serve any court-issued document to each registered person who is required to file electronically in the case. Electronic service by the clerk’s office constitutes service or notice of the document.  In accordance with (c)(2) and (c)(3), above, the clerk’s office will conventionally serve a court-issued document to each party who is not required to file electronically or who has requested an exemption from the requirement of electronic filing.

(f)  No-Contact Orders.  Absent a court order to the contrary, a party who is subject to a no-contact order and who is, or who is represented by, a registered e-filer may use the electronic filing system’s electronic service to provide a copy of an electronically submitted document to the opposing party if the opposing party or the opposing party’s attorney or nonlawyer representative is a registered e-filer.

Rule 19. Electronic Payment of Fees, and Refund of Fees Paid Electronically

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A registered e-filer shall make payment of any fees that are due to the court through the electronic filing system’s payment processor, unless the registered e-filer has either filed a motion to waive the fee or indicated in the electronic filing system that the fee will be paid at the court.  If the amount listed as due for a filing or transaction in the electronic filing system is insufficient to cover the actual amount of the applicable fee or surcharge imposed by RSA 490:26-a, II, the clerk may order the filer to pay the remaining amount.

The clerk shall refund an electronic or other payment when no payment was required, when the payment was duplicative of a previous payment, or when the amount paid exceeds the actual amount owed for the filing or transaction.

Rule 20. Motions for Admission Pro Hac Vice

A motion for the appearance pro hac vice of an attorney who is not a member of the Bar of this State (“Nonmember Attorney”) must be electronically filed by a registered e-filer who is an active member in good standing of the Bar of this State (“In-State Attorney”) and who will be associated with the Nonmember Attorney in accordance with Supreme Court Rule 33(1).  The nonrefundable application fee must be paid through the electronic filing system’s payment processor, unless the registered e-filer has either filed a motion to waive the fee or indicated in the electronic filing system that the fee will be paid at the court or was previously paid in a consolidated or related matter.  See Supreme Court Rule 33(5).  Due to technical features of the electronic filing system, the In-State Attorney must file a separate motion for each Nonmember Attorney whose admission pro hac vice is sought, and may not request the admission of multiple Nonmember Attorneys in one motion.

Rule 21. Certified or Attested Court Documents

When a statute, court rule or administrative order requires a document to be certified or attested to by means of a supreme court seal or otherwise, such a document shall be considered properly attested to or certified when:

(a)  the document, with statutory attestation language and bearing an electronic certification stamp approved by the supreme court as meeting the requirements for attestation, is electronically transmitted directly from the clerk to the registered e-filer or any other person or entity; or

(b)  the paper document is issued by the clerk bearing the physical seal of the court or other evidence of attestation.