Republished here, my opinion from the recent Bar News regarding the appointment of counsel for parents in abuse and neglect proceedings:
Few rights can be argued to be more fundamental then the right to raise and care for one’s children. In recognition of that right, New Hampshire has long appointed counsel to represent indigent parents
The Guardian ad Litem fund took a step closer to extinction when the House Finance Committee voted last night to ok HB1 and HB2 and send it to the House for a full vote. The House budget cuts $742 million in spending from the current two-year budget. Among those cuts is the Guardian ad Litem fund, through
As budget issues continue to plague the New Hampshire Judicial Branch, the courts have announced reduced hours in the clerk’s offfice in several more locations to allow the staff uninterrupted time to process backlogged orders. Here is the announcement from the Judicial Branch:
The clerk’s office in Nashua for Hillsborough County Superior Court North
Unprecedented times call for unprecedented measures. On days where the rest of the New Hampshire government remains open for business, the entire Judicial Branch will close and its employees will take unpaid furlough days in order to accomplish expenditure reduction. The Supreme Court explains these closures in Administrative Orders 2010-03 and 2010-05. The upcoming furlough
Tomorrow, the legislature will hold hearings about proposed state budget cuts, including cutting the judicial branch’s budget by an additional 4 million dollars. The hearing begins at 11:00 am and the public testimony will begin at 1:00 pm in room 210 of the Legislative Office Building.
The legislature needs to hear from the families that this will effect