Courts statewide will be open but only on a limited basis

The courts will be open but only on a limited basis. (Courtesy photo)

The Strafford County Superior Court in Dover and Rochester District Court will remain open on a restricted basis until April 7 due to concerns over the spread of coronavirus.

Court appearances will be kept to a minimum to mitigate exposure risks.

Typical exceptions will include bail hearings where a defendant is trying to get out of jail while awaiting trial; and plea and sentencing hearings in which the defendant pleading guilty would be releases based on pretrial confinement credit.

Additionally there will be no grand juries till at least next month and no jury trials till mid-April, Assistant County Attorney Emily Conant Garod said today.

All divisions of the New Hampshire judicial branch including the supreme court are abiding by the statewide directive which came following the governor's order of a statewide emergency on Friday.

Exceptions to suspension of in-person court proceedings include, but are not limited to:

• Proceedings necessary to protect constitutional rights of criminal defendants, including bail-related matters and plea agreements for incarcerated individuals.
• Requests for orders of protection for domestic violence under RSA 173-B, stalking under RSA 633:3-a and juvenile abuse under RSA 169-C:7-a, and hearings on such orders.
• Requests for child-related emergency orders in divorce/parenting cases under RSA 461-A and hearings on any emergency relief ordered.
• Division for Children, Youth and Families' requests for emergency orders, hearings on such orders, and adjudicatory hearings in RSA 169-C cases if children are in out-of-home placement. · Requests for detention or placement of a juvenile under RSA 169-B and adjudicatory hearings in RSA 169-B cases in which the juvenile is detained or in an out-of-home placement.
• Requests for placement of a juvenile under RSA 169-D and adjudicatory hearings in RSA 169-D cases in which the juvenile is in an out-of-home placement.
• Proceedings related to petitions for temporary emergency injunctive relief.
• Proceedings related to emergency mental health orders, including Involuntary Emergency Admission and Involuntary Admission (probate commitment) proceedings under RSA 135-C.
• Requests for emergency orders in minor guardianship cases under RSA 463 or guardianship over incapacitated persons under RSA 464-A, and hearings on such orders.
• Requests for emergency relief under RSA 540-A in landlord/tenant matters and hearings on such orders.
• Proceedings directly related to the COVID-19 public health emergency.