New Hampshire Revised Statutes 466:31-a – Penalties
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I. Any person who violates any provision of N.H. Rev. Stat. § 466:31 shall be guilty of a violation; provided that if such person chooses to pay the civil forfeiture specified in paragraph II, the person shall be deemed to have waived the right to have the case heard in district or municipal court and shall not be prosecuted or found guilty of a violation of N.H. Rev. Stat. § 466:31. Any person who does not pay the civil forfeiture specified in paragraph II shall have the case disposed of in district or municipal court.
II. Any person who violates any of the provisions of N.H. Rev. Stat. § 466:31 shall be liable for a civil forfeiture, which shall be paid to the clerk of the town or city wherein such dog is owned or kept within 96 hours of the date and time notice is given by any law enforcement officer or other person authorized by the town to the owner or keeper of a dog in violation of N.H. Rev. Stat. § 466:31. If the forfeiture is paid, said payment shall be in full satisfaction of the assessed penalty. The forfeiture shall be in the amount as specified for the following violations:
(a) $25 for the first nuisance offense under N.H. Rev. Stat. § 466:31, II(a), (b), (c) or (d); $100 for the second or subsequent nuisance offense committed within 12 months of the first nuisance offense under N.H. Rev. Stat. § 466:31, II(a), (b), (c) or (d).
(b) $50 for the first menace offense under N.H. Rev. Stat. § 466:31, II(e) or (f); $200 for the second or subsequent menace offense committed within 12 months of the first menace offense under N.H. Rev. Stat. § 466:31, II(e) or (f).
(c) $100 for the first vicious offense under N.H. Rev. Stat. § 466:31, II(g).
(d) $400 for the second or subsequent vicious offense committed within 12 months of the first vicious offense under N.H. Rev. Stat. § 466:31, II(g).
III. Any person who pays a civil forfeiture specified in paragraph II 2 times in any 12-month period according to the records of the town or city clerk, may not pay a civil forfeiture for subsequent violations of N.H. Rev. Stat. § 466:31 in that 12-month period, but shall have those cases disposed of in district or municipal court. In the case of a vicious dog, as described by N.H. Rev. Stat. § 466:31, II(g), where its behavior presents a threat to public safety, immediate district court or municipal court proceedings may be initiated in lieu of the civil forfeiture.
II. Any person who violates any of the provisions of N.H. Rev. Stat. § 466:31 shall be liable for a civil forfeiture, which shall be paid to the clerk of the town or city wherein such dog is owned or kept within 96 hours of the date and time notice is given by any law enforcement officer or other person authorized by the town to the owner or keeper of a dog in violation of N.H. Rev. Stat. § 466:31. If the forfeiture is paid, said payment shall be in full satisfaction of the assessed penalty. The forfeiture shall be in the amount as specified for the following violations:
Terms Used In New Hampshire Revised Statutes 466:31-a
- Civil forfeiture: The loss of ownership of property used to conduct illegal activity.
- following: when used by way of reference to any section of these laws, shall mean the section next preceding or following that in which such reference is made, unless some other is expressly designated. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 21:13
- person: may extend and be applied to bodies corporate and politic as well as to individuals. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 21:9
(a) $25 for the first nuisance offense under N.H. Rev. Stat. § 466:31, II(a), (b), (c) or (d); $100 for the second or subsequent nuisance offense committed within 12 months of the first nuisance offense under N.H. Rev. Stat. § 466:31, II(a), (b), (c) or (d).
(b) $50 for the first menace offense under N.H. Rev. Stat. § 466:31, II(e) or (f); $200 for the second or subsequent menace offense committed within 12 months of the first menace offense under N.H. Rev. Stat. § 466:31, II(e) or (f).
(c) $100 for the first vicious offense under N.H. Rev. Stat. § 466:31, II(g).
(d) $400 for the second or subsequent vicious offense committed within 12 months of the first vicious offense under N.H. Rev. Stat. § 466:31, II(g).
III. Any person who pays a civil forfeiture specified in paragraph II 2 times in any 12-month period according to the records of the town or city clerk, may not pay a civil forfeiture for subsequent violations of N.H. Rev. Stat. § 466:31 in that 12-month period, but shall have those cases disposed of in district or municipal court. In the case of a vicious dog, as described by N.H. Rev. Stat. § 466:31, II(g), where its behavior presents a threat to public safety, immediate district court or municipal court proceedings may be initiated in lieu of the civil forfeiture.