New Hampshire Supreme Court
Cases Accepted - August 1998
* denotes appealing parties
97-683 Pruven Aggregates, v. Griffin,* James Paul
Inc. James Paul Griffin Jr.,
John E. Laboe James Paul Griffin III,
JPG Excavators, Inc.,
Tyra, Inc., GRIFCO
Michael E. Chubrich
Parol boundary agreement - whether Laws 1903,
chapter 48 codified or reversed the New Hampshire
common law of parol boundary agreements; cross-
appeal - numerous issues including sufficiency of
evidence; denial of equitable relief; failure to
rule on requests; whether doctrines of
acquiescence and practical location have 20-year
tolling period; denial of trespass damages
98-069 Carrier,* Mark, Appeal of
(compensation appeals board)
Peter S. Espiefs, for the claimant
Andrew Merrill, for the employer
Attorney General
Workers' compensation - whether board erred in
relying on prior version of RSA 281:26; whether
employer estopped from denying claim by prior
failure to timely evaluate permanent impairment
98-139 Town of Seabrook* v. Vachon Management, Inc.,
Robert D. Ciandella Adult Video, Inc.
Scott E. Woodman Keri J. Marshall
Municipal regulation - zoning enforcement; whether
change in use of unit in commercial mall from sale
of computer equipment to nude wrestling and
bachelor parties required site review approval by
planning board; whether pre-existing use was
"lawful" non-conforming use; whether burden of
proof was on plaintiff
98-140 Longchamps v. New Hampshire State
Electric, Inc.* Apprenticeship Council
Edward A. Haffer Attorney General
Apprenticeship program ratio - whether council's
order that plaintiff abide by 3:1 ratio of
journeymen to apprentices violates RSA chapter
278, RSA 319-C:2, IV, equal protection, or fair
competition provision of the State Constitution
98-171 State of NH v. Kerrins,* Joseph F. III
Attorney General Stan Hawthorne
Sentence suspension - denial of evidentiary
hearing or oral argument
98-172 State of NH v. Colbath,* Richard
Attorney General Stan Hawthorne
Sentence suspension - denial of evidentiary
hearing or oral argument
98-174 State of NH v. McLoud,* James
Attorney General Steven M. Latici
Forfeiture - denial of jury trial; whether court
lacked jurisdiction under RSA 595-A:6; whether gun
"as configured" constituted contraband; whether
night scope was integrated with pistol and thus
subject to forfeiture; whether court correctly
construed RSA 207:4 and :46
98-286 Richard A.,* Involuntary Admission of
Tony F. Soltani
Barbara Maloney
Attorney General
Civil commitment - whether appointed counsel in a
post-judgment proceeding of a mentally ill client
is bound to pursue an appeal under the standard
enunciated in State v. Cigic, 138 N.H. 313, or
Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738
98-325 Jewell, Max v. Town of Cornish, Lorraine
Barry C. Schuster and Ralph Cosseboom,*
intervenors
Michael A. Fuerst, for
town
Michael L. Donovan, for
intervenors
Municipal regulation - municipal estoppel; whether
town was estopped from enforcing zoning ordinance
against unlawful use; whether nonenforcement
resulted in ratification; failure to rule on
requests for findings of fact
98-341 Varney,* Gladys M., Appeal of
(compensation appeals board)
Richard J. Walsh
Eric G. Falkenham
Attorney General
Workers' compensation - failure to award interest
to the claimant
98-375 State of NH v. Briand,* Jeffrey N.
Attorney General Eric R. Wilson
Driving after certification as a habitual offender
- denial of motion to suppress statements obtained
without Miranda warnings; admission of hearsay
evidence; sufficiency of evidence
98-393 State of NH v. Martin,* Kelsey
Attorney General James E. Duggan
Debra Walsh
Aggravated felonious sexual assault - denial of
Howard hearing; exclusion of evidence of prior
sexual assault perpetrated on victim; allowing
rehabilitation of victim with prior consistent
statement; admission of hearsay
98-406 State of NH v. Latimer,* Terrence
Attorney General James E. Duggan
Jennifer B. Sobel
Possession with intent to distribute cocaine -
denial of motions to discover information related
to sexual assault allegations against confidential
informant, and to admit such evidence at trial;
whether State opened the door to admission of
first nol prossed indictment
98-536 Mone,* Michael H., Benjamin Lawlor, Ronald S.
Carvell, Carleton K. Marshall, Alan D. Stewart,
Richard G. Soucy, Charles H. Langevin, Brenda M.
Dupont, Bernard S. Bernsten, Peter J. Hicks,
Marvin Rich, James A. Faria, John M. Cook, Gerald
E. Brown, Robert W. Kley, Michael L. Carifio,
Francis G. Scherer, Robert E. Reynolds, Warren J.
Sheehan, John F. Donovan, Ron Lesperance, Robert
Weddleton, Harvey W. Keyes, Bryan L. Robbins,
Frank W. Smith, Andrew Fox, William A. Barnard,
Anthony G. Bordeau, William J. Nolan, David
Thibodeau, Dorothy P. Van Dyke, Craig Liatsis,
Bart H. Wedig, Richard E. Groves, Bernard B.
Hughes, Beverly L. Kley, Richard D. Lemieux, Mark
Trombley, Joseph V. Lanza, Petition of
David L. Nixon
Leslie C. Nixon
Attorney General
Court security personnel - termination; writ of
prohibition; whether Laws 1998, ch. 297, which
terminates employment of court security officers
and employees, violates New Hampshire
Constitution; separation of powers