Terms Used In New Hampshire Revised Statutes > Chapter 170-B - Adoption

• Adult: means an individual who is not a minor. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 170-B:2
• 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.
• Agency: means any person licensed by existing law to place minors for adoption. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 170-B:2
• 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.
• Birth father: means a person or persons other than a legal father who has been named, pursuant to N. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 170-B:2
• Birth mother: means a woman who gestates an embryo conceived by natural or artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization, or preembryo transfer, or becomes a parent pursuant to N. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 170-B:2
• Child: means a son or daughter, whether by birth or by adoption. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 170-B:2
• Commissioner: means the commissioner of the department of health and human services. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 170-B:2
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
• Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
• Court: means probate court. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 170-B:2
• Deed: The legal instrument used to transfer title in real property from one person to another.
• Department: means the department of health and human services. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 170-B:2
• Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. ^Source:
• Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. ^{Source: U.S. Courts}
• Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
• 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
• Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
• Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
• Guardian: means a person so appointed by the probate court. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 170-B:2
• Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
• justice: when applied to a magistrate, shall mean a justice of a municipal court, or a justice of the peace having jurisdiction over the subject-matter. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 21:12
• Legal father: means :
  (a) The person designated as the father pursuant to N. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 170-B:2
• Minor: or "minor child" means any individual under the age of 18. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 170-B:2
• minor child: means any individual under the age of 18. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 170-B:2
• month: shall mean a calendar month, and the word "year" a calendar year, unless otherwise expressed; and the word "year" shall be equivalent to the expression "year of our Lord. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 21:8
• Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
• oath: shall include "affirmation" in all cases where by law an affirmation may be substituted for an oath; and, in like cases, the word "sworn" shall include the word "affirmed. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 21:24
• Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
• Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
• Parent: means mother, birth father, legal father, or adoptive parent, but such term shall not include a parent as to whom the parent-child relationship has been terminated by judicial decree or voluntarily surrender. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 170-B:2
• Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
• Person: means an individual, corporation, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership or association, or any other legal entity. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 170-B:2
• 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
• Power of attorney: A written instrument which authorizes one person to act as another's agent or attorney. The power of attorney may be for a definite, specific act, or it may be general in nature. The terms of the written power of attorney may specify when it will expire. If not, the power of attorney usually expires when the person granting it dies. ^{Source: OCC}
• Probate: Proving a will
• Prospective adoptive parent: means the petitioner named on an adoption petition filed in the court. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 170-B:2
• Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
• 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
• Surrender: means the release of all parental rights, including but not limited to care, custody, and control of the child, by a parent, legal guardian, or agency. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 170-B:2
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
• United States: shall include said district and territories. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 21:4
• Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
• Voluntarily mediated agreement: means an agreement made through a court-approved mediation program between the department, birth parents, and prospective adoptive parents in contemplation of post-adoption sharing of information and/or contact regarding the adoption of a child who is either under the legal custody or guardianship of the department. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 170-B:2