If you are charged with a crime in New Hampshire and cannot afford a lawyer, the court can appoint one for you. Most of those appointments go to the New Hampshire Public Defender, a statewide nonprofit that works under a state contract. This page explains how the system is organised, where its offices are, and what to do first.

How New Hampshire Organises Indigent Defense

The state does not run a traditional government agency with public employees in every county. The program is a hybrid. The core of it is the New Hampshire Public Defender, a private nonprofit whose staff attorneys handle appointed cases under a contract with the state. The New Hampshire Judicial Council oversees that contract and administers indigent defense funding.

The right to appointed counsel comes from the Sixth Amendment and from state law, mainly RSA 604-A, titled Rights of Indigent Defendants. That chapter tells courts when they must appoint a lawyer and how the cost can be recovered. It covers felonies and jailable misdemeanors. It also reaches some other proceedings, such as juvenile cases and matters where a parent or patient could lose important rights.

The Public Defender cannot represent everyone. If two people in the same case have conflicting interests, they need separate lawyers. Those conflict cases go to private attorneys, either through a contract counsel arrangement or through individual court assignment at a set hourly rate. Overflow cases can also be sent out when the offices are at capacity.

For you, the practical result is simple. You do not choose between agencies. The judge appoints counsel, and an attorney from the nearest office takes the case from there.

Who Qualifies and How the Court Appoints a Lawyer in New Hampshire

Eligibility is decided by the judge, not by the public defender's office. At your arraignment, the court asks whether you want a lawyer. If you do, you receive a financial affidavit. You list income, savings, property, household members, and regular expenses. The judge reviews the form, may ask a few questions, and then appoints counsel or denies the request.

Judges weigh the whole picture rather than one fixed income number. Someone with a modest paycheck but heavy medical bills or several dependents may qualify. Someone with substantial savings or a valuable asset may not. Be accurate and complete, because a false statement on the affidavit can create its own legal problems. If your finances change during the case, tell your attorney.

Appointed counsel is not always free in the end. State law allows the court to order a defendant to repay some or all of the cost of a court-appointed lawyer when the person can afford it, and the court can set a payment schedule. Ask the judge or your attorney how this applies to you before you leave the courtroom.

Prepare before your first hearing. Bring a government photo ID, recent pay stubs or benefit award letters, and a recent bank statement. Add a list of monthly bills such as rent, utilities, child support, and medical costs. Bring any summons, complaint, or bail paperwork you received, plus the names of possible witnesses. A short written timeline of events helps your attorney more than you might expect.

Until a lawyer is appointed, say little about the facts. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you tell police, jail staff, or friends on a recorded jail phone line can be used against you.

Where to Find Public Defender Offices Across New Hampshire

Seven offices in our database come with full contact details. Call ahead, because attorneys spend much of the day in court.

Two details deserve a note. The Concord and Stratham listings show the same phone number, 603-778-0526. That suggests a shared main line, so ask the receptionist which office is handling your case. Our database also counts offices in Dover and Littleton, so check the county pages if you live in the Seacoast or the North Country.

When you call, give your full name, date of birth, charge, court, and next hearing date. Leave a clear voicemail with a number you actually answer. If you are in jail, ask a family member to call for you, and ask the facility how to place a legal call. Check your voicemail daily, because missed return calls are a common reason clients lose touch with their lawyers.

Southern Cities, the Seacoast, and the North Country: Regional Differences

Hillsborough County is the state's most populous county, and the Manchester and Nashua offices reflect that. The county Superior Court sits in two districts, north in Manchester and south in Nashua, and both criminal dockets are busy. Expect quick scheduling, short hearings, and attorneys who manage many clients at once. Your best tools are prompt communication and showing up on time.

Concord anchors the central part of the state. As the capital, it hosts the New Hampshire Supreme Court, where appeals are decided, along with the Merrimack County courts. The Concord office on North State Street handles local trial cases. An appeal is a separate stage that may involve a different lawyer, so ask your trial attorney early what the options are.

The Stratham office sits in Rockingham County, part of the Seacoast and the commuter belt toward Massachusetts. Dover, in Strafford County, belongs to the same eastern corridor. Courts here serve commuters and visitors alike, so a defendant may live far from the court where the case sits. Tell your attorney at once if you live out of state, since travel and bail conditions need planning.

North of the lakes, distances grow. Piermont is a small town on the Connecticut River in Grafton County, and its office on New Hampshire 10 serves a rural area where the courthouse can be a long drive away. Keene, in the southwest corner, and Laconia, in the Lakes Region, act as hubs for the surrounding towns. Cell coverage can be uneven in hill country, so give your attorney a backup contact such as a relative.

Regional gaps also affect timing. City offices may return calls faster because more staff are on site, while rural attorneys may cover several courts in a single week. Neither pattern means weaker representation. Public defenders handle serious felonies every day, and their familiarity with local judges and prosecutors often matters more than the size of the office.

Public defender services in New Hampshire are organized either through a statewide public defender commission or at the county level, depending on the state's approach to indigent defense. New Hampshire's system determines how public defender offices are funded, staffed, and assigned, which can affect caseloads and services available at each location.

Public Defenders locations are available in 9 cities across New Hampshire. They are spread across 7 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration of public defender offices include Littleton, Stratham, Concord, where larger court systems generate higher volumes of criminal cases requiring public defense services.

Defendants in New Hampshire who believe they qualify for a public defender should not attempt to represent themselves in criminal proceedings. Requesting appointed counsel at your first court appearance is your constitutional right, and the process for establishing eligibility is handled by the court.

Public Defenders by Counties

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Individuals in New Hampshire who are assigned a public defender should make every scheduled court date, stay in contact with their assigned attorney, and promptly provide any information or documentation their attorney requests. If you cannot reach your public defender, contact the main office directly to ensure your case is properly managed before any upcoming hearings.

Browse Public Defenders by county across New Hampshire to find the nearest location.

Practical Steps for Using Public Defenders in New Hampshire

Criminal cases in New Hampshire usually begin in the Circuit Court, which handles misdemeanors, violations, and early hearings in many felony cases. Felonies then move to the county Superior Court after a grand jury indictment. Your appointed attorney follows the case through these stages. Ask whether any new paperwork is needed when the case moves up.

Time matters. Arraignment and bail decisions often come within days of an arrest, and a missed court date can lead to a warrant and added charges. If you receive a summons instead of being arrested, you can still ask for appointed counsel on the date listed. Write down every hearing date the moment you learn it.

On the Seacoast, the Rockingham County page covers the Stratham office and nearby courts. If a judge finds that you do not qualify for appointed counsel, you still have options. The New Hampshire Bar Association runs a lawyer referral service, and New Hampshire Legal Assistance helps with civil problems, though not with criminal defense. Keep copies of every document the court gives you, and bring them to each meeting with your lawyer.

Frequently Asked Questions About Public Defenders in New Hampshire

The system is a partnership rather than a single state agency. The New Hampshire Public Defender, a nonprofit corporation, employs the staff attorneys who handle most appointed cases, and it works under a contract with the state. The New Hampshire Judicial Council oversees indigent defense funding and the contracts. The courts, not the offices themselves, decide who receives a lawyer. State law, mainly RSA 604-A, sets the rules for appointment and for recovering costs. To confirm which office has your case, call the office listed for your area or ask the clerk of the court handling the matter.

You ask the judge, usually at your arraignment. Tell the court that you cannot afford a lawyer, and you will be given a financial affidavit to complete. It asks about income, savings, property, household size, and monthly expenses. The judge reviews it and decides whether to appoint counsel. You do not need to contact a public defender office first, although calling ahead can help you prepare. If you are held in jail, the process generally happens at your first court appearance. Bring identification and proof of income if you can, because it speeds up the review.

Possibly. State law lets the court order a defendant to reimburse some or all of the cost of appointed counsel when the person has the ability to pay. The court can also set a payment schedule rather than demanding a lump sum. People with very limited means are less likely to be ordered to pay much. Because the details depend on your situation, ask the judge or your attorney how the rules apply to you. Do not ignore a repayment order, since unpaid balances can cause separate problems later. If your income drops, you can ask the court to review the amount.

A conflict arises when the office already represents or has represented someone whose interests clash with yours, such as a co-defendant or a witness. In that situation the office tells the court, and a different lawyer is appointed. New Hampshire uses private attorneys for these cases, through contract counsel arrangements or individual assignment at an hourly rate. You are still entitled to a qualified lawyer at no upfront cost if you meet the financial test. You do not need to arrange this yourself. Simply make sure the court has your current phone number and address so the new attorney can reach you quickly.

Our listings show 603-778-0526 for both the New Hampshire Public Defender at 117 North State Street in Concord and the Stratham Public Defender at 142 Portsmouth Avenue. A shared number usually means a common main line or intake desk. We cannot say how calls are routed internally, so state your county, court, and charge as soon as someone answers. Ask which attorney or office is assigned to you, and write down the name and any direct extension. Other offices, including Manchester at 603-669-7888 and Nashua at 603-598-4986, list separate lines. If a call goes unanswered, leave a detailed voicemail and try again the next business morning.

Rural defendants are served by the same statewide system, but you may deal with more phone calls and fewer office visits. The Piermont Public Defender on New Hampshire 10 and the Laconia office on Union Avenue cover wide areas, and our database also counts an office in Littleton. Attorneys often meet clients at the courthouse before a hearing, so arrive early. Give your lawyer a reliable phone number and a backup contact, since coverage can be spotty in hill country. Ask about the best time to call, and respond to messages quickly, so deadlines are not missed.