The New Hampshire Supreme Court Society honors and supports the work of the New Hampshire Supreme Court and promotes an independent and effective New Hampshire judiciary. Through its scholarly King Lecture Series, Life and Liberty Awards, Oral History Project, and support of Constitutionally Speaking and the Institute for Civics Education, the Society seeks to increase public awareness of the life of the law, the importance of having educated citizens who understand our Constitution, and the need for civics education in our schools. Your membership in the Society helps support all these important civic programs.
Life and Liberty Award 2022
On Thursday, April 21, the New Hampshire Supreme Court Society presented its annual Life and Liberty Award to Rob Morris, Love146 CEO and co-founder. Love146 is an international human rights organization working to end child trafficking and exploitation. Morris has lectured and taught in more than 20 countries on issues of justice, compassion, and human rights. Watch a video of the ceremony.
King Lecture
On September 30, 2021, Prof. Tracey Maclin of Boston University School of Law, and Chief Justice Gordon MacDonald of the New Hampshire Supreme Court, delivered the annual King Lecture. The topic was “Long Overdue: Fifth Amendment Protection for Corporate Officers (when responding to discovery requested of the corporation they serve).” Watch a video of the lecture.
Life & Liberty Award Video
On November 13, the NH Supreme Court Society presented a Life and Liberty Award posthumously to American Journalist James Foley, who was captured and later killed by ISIS rebels while he was reporting on the war in Syria. Watch a video of the presentation.
William W. Treat Lecture Video
On September 21, Maine U.S. Sen. Susan Collins presented the William W. Treat Lecture in an event hosted by our Partner Organization Constitutionally Speaking. Watch a video of the lecture.
Is the New Hampshire Constitution Unique?
On the afternoon of November 10, 2021 (1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.), the New Hampshire Supreme Court Society, in coordination with the New Hampshire Bar Association, will be presenting two virtual panels on the ways in which the New Hampshire Constitution may be more protective of individual rights and liberties than the Federal Constitution. For example, as interpreted by the New Hampshire Supreme Court, the state constitution is more expansive than its federal counterpart in the context of searches and seizures, while the court has viewed it as providing the same free speech rights that exist under the First Amendment. These panels will explore these many differences and similarities.
This presentation will be actively moderated by Lawrence Friedman, a constitutional law professor at New England Law | Boston and author of the book The New Hampshire State Constitution (2d ed., 2015), followed by a panel discussion.
This presentation will be conducted via webinar and lawyers, judges, civics educators, students of all ages, and the general public are encouraged to attend.
More information on the event – and to sign up – is located here for members of the Bar: https://nhbar.inreachce.com/Details/Information/1a08b6fd-d584-4e32-adc3-acd3490d72ae.
For non-Bar members, folks can sign up here: https://nhbar.inreachce.com/Details/Information/5a5a8895-7828-4f57-bb56-ec075accba27.
Watch our recently posted interviews with William W. Treat, Esq., and Kimon S. Zachos, Esq., here.