Court Cases

A woman who retained a private attorney instead of a public defender was denied funds to secure an expert in support of her defense, effectively denying her constitutional rights unless she waived her right to retain willing private counsel; ACLU-NH appealed to the NH Supreme Court.

An incarcerated man was denied transportation in order to appear for his small claims hearing to present written evidence. Instead, he conducted his hearing over telephone without any way to submit the written evidence. A trial court ruled against him and he appealed to the NH Supreme Court.

A single mother of two was ordered to jail if she did not pay a fine she didn't have the means to pay. After spending a night in jail, the ACLU-NH filed an emergency petition for writ of habeas corpus seeking her release; she was granted release immediately.

A man was ordered to be jailed if he did not pay fines he was unable to pay. The ACLU-NH filed an emergency petition with the NH Supreme Court which ordered a stay on the enforcement of the order.

This suit challenged the residency restrictions for sex offenders in the City of Franklin; the Superior Court found that restrictions unconstitutional because they burdened the fundamental right to use and enjoy property without demonstrating a sufficient reason for doing so.