About Public Records in New Hampshire

• General Jurisdiction / Upper Courts


• Superior Courts - One or more courts in each New Hampshire county. These courts handle the following case types:
• Civil - torts, contracts, and real property rights.
• Marriage dissolution, paternity, custody, and support.
• Criminal felony.
• Domestic violence.


• Limited Jurisdiction / Lower Courts


• District Courts - 37 courts. These courts handle the following case types:
• Civil - torts, contracts, and real property rights for claims up to $25,000.
• Small claims.
• Criminal drunk driving and misdemeanor.
• Domestic violence.
• Traffic.
• Juvenile.
• Preliminary hearings.


• Probate Courts - 10 courts. These courts handle the following case types:
• Adoption, parental rights.
• Mental health.
• Estates.

New Hampshire real and personal property tax records are kept by the Assessment office in each township.
 

New Hampshire deeds and general document recording are handled by the Registry of Deeds Office in each county. Records kept include deeds, mortgage documents, easements, powers of attorney, and liens.

New Hampshire vital records are considered to be private, and access to them is restricted by statute to those individuals who have a "direct and tangible interest" in the record. Certain older records are exempted from these access restrictions. Birth records prior to 1901, and deaths, marriages and divorce records prior to 1948 are considered to have unrestricted access.