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August 10. 2012 1:56AM
2 judge nominees have faced grievances
CONCORD — Two of the circuit court judges nominated by Gov. John Lynch Wednesday are named in grievance petitions filed with a House committee this year.
In both cases the judges were named with other justices in the petitions filed with the House Redress of Grievances Committee.
Paul Moore of Bedford, who is a special justice at Milford District Court and Derry Family Court, is named along with Nashua District Court Justice special justice Michael Ryan in a petition filed by Monique Prince.
In the petition, Prince claims the two justices erred in rulings concerning alimony, parental rights and responsibilities, health insurance coverage for spouses, child abuse and neglect, and domestic violence; that they disregarded evidence, created false allegations against her, and unjustly fined her.
The grievance committee held two public hearings on the petition and recently decided it was unfounded by a 9-0 vote. Rep. Timothy Horrigan, D-Durham, wrote for the committee “It has become clear to the Committee that the Family Division is at times problematical and her divorce may not have been handled perfectly in every detail, nevertheless, the documentation was inadequate to support the charges in the petition.”
The other petition was filed by Nicholas Haas of Hooksett and again involved a divorce proceeding and issues over child support.
Jennifer Lemire of Stratham is currently a Marital Master in Manchester Family Division, and is named in the petition along with Marital Master Leonard Green and Judge Edward B. Tenney.
In his petition Haas claims the judges’ orders led to his financial ruin, his unlawful incarceration, and violations of his Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination. He also claims the judges abused their powers and refused to follow due process procedures and violated his parental rights.
After two public hearings, the Grievance Committee recently voted almost down party lines that the petition has merit, but has not filed a report with the House clerk to publish in the House calendar.
Horrigan said he and another committee member voted that the petition was without merit.
Horrigan said Haas’s experience is similar to what happens in many divorce cases when a husband does not pay child support.
Moore and Lemire, along with Mark Weaver of Greenland, Lawrence MacLeod of Lebanon, and marital master Julie Introcaso of Manchester, were nominated by Lynch to full-time judgeships within the Circuit Court system. Lynch also nominated Susan Carbon of Chichester as a part-time circuit court judge.
“All the nominees the governor put forward have outstanding credentials, tremendous experience and the governor believes they will make excellent judges,” said Lynch’s press secretary Colin Manning.
“Each nominee was fully vetted by the independent judicial selection commission and each will get a public hearing with the Executive Council and we’re sure the council will vote based on each nominee’s qualifications and expertise.”
The Executive Council holds a public hearing beginning at 9 a.m. Aug.
16 in Executive Council Chambers on the nominations of Introcaso, Lamire and MacLoed, and another public hearing on the same day and place at 1 p.m. on the nominations of Moore, Weaver and Carbon.
Garry Rayno may be reached at grayno@unionleader.com.
In both cases the judges were named with other justices in the petitions filed with the House Redress of Grievances Committee.
Paul Moore of Bedford, who is a special justice at Milford District Court and Derry Family Court, is named along with Nashua District Court Justice special justice Michael Ryan in a petition filed by Monique Prince.
In the petition, Prince claims the two justices erred in rulings concerning alimony, parental rights and responsibilities, health insurance coverage for spouses, child abuse and neglect, and domestic violence; that they disregarded evidence, created false allegations against her, and unjustly fined her.
The grievance committee held two public hearings on the petition and recently decided it was unfounded by a 9-0 vote. Rep. Timothy Horrigan, D-Durham, wrote for the committee “It has become clear to the Committee that the Family Division is at times problematical and her divorce may not have been handled perfectly in every detail, nevertheless, the documentation was inadequate to support the charges in the petition.”
The other petition was filed by Nicholas Haas of Hooksett and again involved a divorce proceeding and issues over child support.
Jennifer Lemire of Stratham is currently a Marital Master in Manchester Family Division, and is named in the petition along with Marital Master Leonard Green and Judge Edward B. Tenney.
In his petition Haas claims the judges’ orders led to his financial ruin, his unlawful incarceration, and violations of his Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination. He also claims the judges abused their powers and refused to follow due process procedures and violated his parental rights.
After two public hearings, the Grievance Committee recently voted almost down party lines that the petition has merit, but has not filed a report with the House clerk to publish in the House calendar.
Horrigan said he and another committee member voted that the petition was without merit.
Horrigan said Haas’s experience is similar to what happens in many divorce cases when a husband does not pay child support.
Moore and Lemire, along with Mark Weaver of Greenland, Lawrence MacLeod of Lebanon, and marital master Julie Introcaso of Manchester, were nominated by Lynch to full-time judgeships within the Circuit Court system. Lynch also nominated Susan Carbon of Chichester as a part-time circuit court judge.
“All the nominees the governor put forward have outstanding credentials, tremendous experience and the governor believes they will make excellent judges,” said Lynch’s press secretary Colin Manning.
“Each nominee was fully vetted by the independent judicial selection commission and each will get a public hearing with the Executive Council and we’re sure the council will vote based on each nominee’s qualifications and expertise.”
The Executive Council holds a public hearing beginning at 9 a.m. Aug.
16 in Executive Council Chambers on the nominations of Introcaso, Lamire and MacLoed, and another public hearing on the same day and place at 1 p.m. on the nominations of Moore, Weaver and Carbon.
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Garry Rayno may be reached at grayno@unionleader.com.