Court records of Rockingham County, New Hampshire, are available through several channels. RockinghamNHCourt.us allows you to search for public information about court cases in the county. Additionally, records can be found through official state court resources, court clerks' offices, and public terminals located directly in court buildings. For federal cases, the PACER system is used through the U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire.
Rockingham Court System & Jurisdictions
New Hampshire does not have county court systems in the traditional sense — the state uses a single Circuit Court system, which is divided into three divisions. This structure serves the residents of Rockingham County.
- District Division — handles misdemeanors, minor offenses, traffic violations, civil claims up to $25,000, and small claims up to $10,000.
- Superior Court — the only court in New Hampshire that conducts jury trials. It handles felonies, major civil cases, and appeals from the District Division.
- Probate Division — cases related to inheritance, guardianship, conservatorship, and name changes. This is a separate division of the Circuit Court.
- Family Division — divorce, child support, adoption, protective orders, and juvenile cases.
Rockingham County Superior Court is located in Brentwood. The Circuit Court has several locations throughout the county — in Brentwood, Derry, Plaistow, and Portsmouth, depending on the type of case and geographical jurisdiction.
For information about the county itself and its services, visit the official Rockingham County website.
Rockingham Court Calendar & Upcoming Hearings
To find out the schedule of hearings for today, tomorrow, or this week, use the state's online system. The New Hampshire Judicial Branch publishes calendars through the New Hampshire Judicial Branch portal.
- Go to the NH Judicial Branch website at www.courts.nh.gov.
- Select the required court — for example, Rockingham Superior Court or the appropriate Circuit Court location.
- Find the "Court Calendars" or "Case Lookup" section to view scheduled hearings.
Federal cases have a separate calendar. If your case is being heard in federal court, check the schedule through the U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire website, where electronic cases are available through the PACER system.
Public terminals in court buildings also allow you to view the current schedule. If you are unsure which court the hearing is scheduled in, call the clerk's office — the clerk will provide the date and room.
How to Get a Copy of a Rockingham Court Document
There are three main ways to obtain a copy of a court document.
In Person
Visit the clerk's office of the relevant court. The clerk can issue either a regular or certified copy of the document. A regular copy is suitable for review, while a certified one is needed when an official court stamp is required, such as for submission to another court or a government agency.
By Mail
Send a written request to the court clerk's office. In the request, specify:
- The full name of the party in the case
- The case number (if known)
- The type of document needed
- Whether a certified copy is needed
- A check or money order for the appropriate amount
Online
For federal cases, electronic documents are available through PACER — registration and login are required. Civil cases filed after June 2004 and criminal cases after January 2005 are stored electronically. For state cases, check for documents through the NH Judicial Branch portal or visit RockinghamNHCourt.us.
Some records have restricted access — juvenile cases, sealed cases, and certain family cases are usually closed to the public.
Rockingham Court Records Fees & Payment
Fees for court documents in New Hampshire are set by the administrative rules of the state's court system. Below are typical fees — confirm the exact amount with the specific court clerk's office before requesting.
| Service | Approximate Cost |
|---|---|
| Copy of document (per page) | $0.25 |
| Certification of copy | $5.00 per document |
| Record search fee | Depends on the court; confirm with the clerk's office |
| Access to documents via PACER (federal cases) | $0.10 per page (limit $3.00 per document) |
The clerk's office accepts payment by check, money order, and in some locations, credit cards. For PACER, payment is made through the user's account.
If you need police department records rather than court records — for example, arrest reports in Salem — contact through the Salem Police Department's request page, where you can also find contacts for the Rockingham County prosecutor's office.