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New Hampshire to Shut 8 District Courts

New Hampshire governor John Lynch’s proposal to close eight district courts would save nearly $2 million a year.

But some are critical of the plan. Colebrook Town Manager Donna Caron said she fears her town’s police budget, already cut 12%, could not handle the extra gas, salary and overtime for officers to travel the extra distance to a court 37 miles away.

Besides Colebrook, the governor proposed the following district court closures and mergers: New London to merge with Newport; Claremont transfer operations to the Sullivan County facility in Newport; Plaistow to merge with Salem; Milford to merge with Merrimack; Hooksett to merge with Concord; Keene to transfer operations to Cheshire County facility in Keene; and Hillsborough to merge with Henniker.

The consolidation would impact six part-time judges, one full-time judge and 22 court staff.

All eight courthouses operate out of leased space, and closing them is expected to save the state about $1.8 million a year in rent.

Other savings would come from “efficiencies in staff” and not needing as many court security officers.

If the plan is approved, consolidations would take effect July 1st.

Erik Even: