E-Court Transition in New Hampshire

New Hampshire is currently entering the evaluation and implementation phase of its e- Courts Project, commissioned in July 2011. The project aims to “...increase efficiency in the New Hampshire Judicial Branch (NHJB) by implementing automated systems through re-engineering of business processes resulting in reduced cost of operations and improved customer service.”1 Initially projected for completion in 2016, the transition is currently being implemented in the Small Claim courts of the 2nd and 6th Circuit and remains on track to finish on time within a more limited scope than anticipated. This report examines the progress of the New Hampshire e-Courts Project since its July 2011 rollout, analyzing the transition’s current status within the scope of several delineated factors. Additionally, through comprehensive comparisons with three U.S. states that have either completed or are currently undergoing a similar transition—New Jersey, Maryland and Oregon—it identifies several key lessons for New Hampshire and other states considering similar projects.