How to search New Hampshire court records
New Hampshire's statewide portal reaches most, but not all, courts. A few jurisdictions run their own separate systems — see the additional lookups below. Cost varies by record type — some searches are free, others require a paid account or a formal records request.
partial varies criminal data
Open the official New Hampshire portal →
What's actually there
The old Case Access Portal (odypa.nhecourt.us) was replaced by LUCIE in August 2026 and no longer responds. LUCIE needs a free account and covers only non-confidential e-filed cases: Circuit Court civil, small claims, name change and estate cases, and Superior Court civil and criminal cases. Name-based record checks cost $6.50 per name per court.
Other official lookups for New Hampshire
How New Hampshire's courts are organized
New Hampshire has three levels of state court. The Circuit Court handles most everyday cases through three divisions: the District Division (misdemeanors and violations, small claims, landlord-tenant cases, stalking cases and civil cases up to $25,000), the Family Division (divorce, parenting and other family matters) and the Probate Division (estates, guardianships and similar matters). The Superior Court is the trial court for felonies, jury trials and larger civil cases. The New Hampshire Supreme Court hears appeals; there is no intermediate appellate court.
In late August 2026 the Judicial Branch launched LUCIE, short for Look Up Case Information Electronically, as its online case lookup, replacing the older Case Access Portal. The Judicial Branch said the old portal would be retired on September 30, 2026.
Using the official online search
LUCIE requires you to create a free account. Once signed in, a member of the public can search publicly accessible cases and see case status, scheduled hearings, parties, charges and dispositions, depending on the type of case. At launch it covers only non-confidential cases that were filed electronically: civil, small claims, name change and estate cases in the Circuit Court, and civil and criminal cases in the Superior Court. Lawyers can ask for wider access using their New Hampshire Bar number.
The Judicial Branch says plainly that LUCIE should not be used for background checks or anything that needs complete identity or case information. For that, it directs people to the written record check process below. Non-confidential case documents can be viewed on public kiosks in Superior and Circuit Court courthouses on weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and kiosk printouts are 25 cents per page in the District Division.
- Not online: Circuit Court criminal cases, Family Division cases, and older paper-filed cases.
- Not online: domestic violence cases in the Superior Court.
- Closed by statute or rule: juvenile cases and other confidential case types.
- For a hearing date you can also call the Trial Court Information Center at 1-855-212-1234 with your case number.
Getting copies and record checks
Copies and record checks are handled centrally. For a name-based record check, use Judicial Branch form NHJB-2798-DFS, give the person's full name and date of birth if known, and pay $6.50 per name for each court location searched. Checks are payable to the NHJB Central Processing Center and a separate form and fee are needed for each court. If you already have the case number, there is no search fee. Manual searches of records before 1992 that take longer than an hour can be billed $25 per hour beyond the base fee, and the clerk may waive the research fee for news media.
Under the court fee rules, plain copies are 50 cents per page and certified copies are $10. In Superior Court criminal cases, form NHJB-4057-Se is used to request documents; emailed plain copies carry no extra delivery charge, while paper delivery adds 50 cents per page. Fee schedules change, so check the current Superior Court and Circuit Court fee sheets before sending payment.
Records that are not public
New Hampshire's record clearing process is called annulment, under RSA 651:5 and Rule 31 of the New Hampshire Rules of Criminal Procedure. A person convicted of an eligible offense may petition the court that convicted them after completing the sentence and staying conviction-free for a waiting period: 1 year for a violation, 2 years for a class B misdemeanor, 3 years for a class A misdemeanor, 5 years for a class B felony and 10 years for a class A felony, with longer periods for some sexual and domestic violence offenses. Violent crimes, felony obstruction offenses and extended-term sentences cannot be annulled. Arrests that end in dismissal or a not guilty finding on or after January 1, 2019 are annulled automatically 30 days later if there is no appeal.
After annulment the person is treated as never having been arrested or convicted, with limited exceptions such as sentencing for a later crime, and the court records are sealed. This describes the law only; talk to a lawyer or use the Judicial Branch self-help pages, which include annulment checklists.
New Hampshire tip: pick the right court location
Record check fees are charged per name and per court location, so a statewide check of every Circuit Court district can add up quickly. Narrow it down first: a felony is a Superior Court case in the county where it was charged, while misdemeanors, violations and motor vehicle offenses are in the Circuit Court District Division for the town. If you can find the case number in LUCIE or on a court notice, include it and the search fee goes away.
Sources
- NH Judicial Branch — LUCIE (Look Up Case Information Electronically)
- NH Judicial Branch — LUCIE launch announcement
- NH Judicial Branch — Record Checks
- NH Judicial Branch — Resources for the Media (kiosk hours)
- Superior Court Fee Schedule
- Circuit Court Rule 1.28, court fees
- Request for Documents in Criminal Cases, NHJB-4057-Se
- RSA 651:5, annulment of criminal records
- NH Rules of Criminal Procedure, Rule 31 Annulments
- NH Judicial Branch — Self-Help
Checked against the official sources above in October 2026. Court rules and fees change; the court's own site is the final word. This is general information, not legal advice.
Federal cases filed in New Hampshire
State portals don't cover federal court. If the case you're looking for might be a federal criminal prosecution, civil suit, or bankruptcy, use CourtRecordsFree's live federal search — it queries CourtListener/RECAP directly and isn't limited to any one state.
Search tips
- Try both "Last, First" and "First Last" — courts index names inconsistently.
- Middle initials and suffixes (Jr., III) often matter for common names.
- A date of birth or case number is the only reliable way to confirm you found the right person.
- An arrest or charge shown in a docket is not a conviction — read the disposition.
Frequently asked questions
Is it free to search New Hampshire court records online?
It depends on what you're looking for. Some record types on New Hampshire's portal are free; others require payment or a formal request.
Does this include criminal records?
Yes. New Hampshire's portal includes criminal case records alongside civil cases, though sealed and expunged cases are not shown.
Does one search cover the whole state?
Mostly. New Hampshire's statewide portal covers most courts, but a few jurisdictions maintain separate systems — worth checking the additional lookups above if your court isn't listed.
Links move. If the New Hampshire portal link above is dead, tell us on the corrections page.