I. After a petition has been filed or an ex parte order issued, the court shall issue a summons to all persons named in the petition to be served by a law enforcement officer personally, or if personal service is not possible, at their usual place of abode. Such summons shall require the person or persons having custody or control of the child to appear personally, unless otherwise ordered, before the court at a time and place set for a preliminary hearing, which shall not be less than 24 hours nor more than 7 days after return of service of the petition.
I-a. If the location of the parent or parents is unknown as set forth in an affidavit filed with the court in which the petitioner describes its efforts to locate the parent or parents, the court may, upon request of the petitioner, order the petitioner to provide notice by publication once a week for 2 successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation where that person was last domiciled or by certified mail at the last known address. Notwithstanding the time limits in paragraph I, if service by publication is ordered, the preliminary hearing should not be later than 40 days from the date the petition is filed and no sooner than 7 days from the last date of publication. The need for service by publication shall constitute extraordinary circumstances to extend the time for an adjudicatory hearing, pursuant to N.H. Rev. Stat. § 169-C:15, III(d).

Ask a criminal law question, get an answer ASAP!
Click here to chat with a criminal defense lawyer and protect your rights.

Terms Used In New Hampshire Revised Statutes 169-C:8

  • Adjudicatory hearing: means a hearing to determine the truth of the allegations in the petition filed under this chapter. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 169-C:3
  • Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • Child: means any person who has not reached his eighteenth birthday. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 169-C:3
  • children: means any individual who is under the age of 18 years. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 169-C:3
  • Court: means the district court, unless otherwise indicated. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 169-C:3
  • Department: means the department of health and human services. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 169-C:3
  • Notice: means communication given in person or in writing to the parent, guardian, custodian or other interested party not having custody or control of the child, of the time and place fixed for hearing; and it shall be given in all cases, unless it appears to the court that such notice will be ineffectual. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 169-C:3
  • Parent: means mother, father, adoptive parent, stepparent, but such term shall not include a parent as to whom the parent-child relationship has been terminated by judicial decree or voluntary relinquishment. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 169-C:3
  • person: may extend and be applied to bodies corporate and politic as well as to individuals. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 21:9
  • petition: when used in connection with the equity jurisdiction of the superior court, and referring to a document filed with the court, shall mean complaint, and "petitioner" shall mean plaintiff. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 21:51
  • petitioner: shall mean plaintiff. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 21:51
  • Preliminary hearing: A hearing where the judge decides whether there is enough evidence to make the defendant have a trial.
  • state: when applied to different parts of the United States, may extend to and include the District of Columbia and the several territories, so called; and the words "United States" shall include said district and territories. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 21:4
  • Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.

II. A copy of the petition shall be attached to each summons or incorporated therein.
III. The summons shall contain a notice that the child shall have a guardian ad litem, appointed by the court. The summons shall also state as follows: “With limited exception, the department of health and human services shall be responsible for the cost of services provided under this chapter. N.H. Rev. Stat. Chapter 186-C regarding children with disabilities grants children and their parents certain rights to services from school districts at public expense and to appeal school district decisions regarding services to be provided.”
IV. The summons shall also contain a description and explanation of the proceedings and a statement of the rights of the person or persons summoned, under this chapter, RSA 170-C, and under the rules of court.