James W. Kennedy at a glance
- Current role
- Superior Court Justice
- Jurisdiction
- New Hampshire · State
- Judicial service
- Active
James W. Kennedy
Superior Court Justice · New Hampshire Superior Court
Biography
Professional career
- Justice of the New Hampshire Superior Court, confirmed in 2024 after a 14‐year career as City Solicitor of Concord, NH
- Concord deputy city solicitor and city solicitor; earlier private practice and Attorney General’s Office work
- His career also included private practice and work in the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office
- Before joining the Superior Court, he served as Concord’s deputy city solicitor and then city solicitor.
Education
- University of New Hampshire School of Law — J.D. (2003)
Additional information
- Nominated by Governor Chris Sununu on November 8, 2023, confirmed unanimously by the New Hampshire Executive Council on January 10, 2024, and began his judicial tenure in February 2024
- Deputy City Solicitor, City of Concord, New Hampshire
- Served more than twelve years, leading the Legal Department.
- One of the active justices on the New Hampshire Superior Court, the state’s highest trial court.
- Gubernatorial nomination with Executive Council confirmation
- Before becoming a judge, Kennedy had a 14‐year career with the City of Concord, most of it as City Solicitor and two years as Deputy City Solicitor
- Seasoned New Hampshire jurist, now serving on the Superior Court, with a distinguished record in municipal law, public service, and litigation before his appointment
- Notable Work: Oversaw legal aspects of major projects such as Main Street revitalization, the Sewalls Falls Bridge, the Community Center on the Heights, and the Market Basket complex in Penacook.
- He also handled high‐profile litigation, including a long‐running dispute with a utility company over road excavation rules that reached the New Hampshire Supreme Court twice
- His transition marks a shift from municipal legal leadership to a broader judicial role, where he will adjudicate cases across the state’s legal system
Applicable Court Rules & Procedures
Electronic Devices And Media
Statewide
New Hampshire's published statewide guidance requires presiding-judge approval before still or video equipment may be used in a courtroom, and the presiding judge retains discretion over recording devices.
The form must be approved by the presiding judge before that individual or organization will be permitted to use still or video equipment in the courtroom.New Hampshire Judicial Branch Guidelines for Use of Cameras and Audio Equipment ↗
Published courtroom rules
Shared court rules
New Hampshire Judicial Branch Guidelines for Use of Cameras and Audio Equipment
New Hampshire Superior Court
Scope is limited to the court class in the source claim. Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory.
Official source ↗ · Collected 2026-07-27Sources
Identity source checked July 27, 2026.
Biography sources checked August 8, 2026.
New Hampshire Judicial Branch official judicial roster
Identity source · HTML · Source checked July 27, 2026
View New Hampshire Judicial Branch official judicial roster ↗New Hampshire Judicial Branch Guidelines for Use of Cameras and Audio Equipment
Statewide source · HTML · Source checked July 27, 2026
View New Hampshire Judicial Branch Guidelines for Use of Cameras and Audio Equipment ↗City of Concord official material on James W. Kennedy
Identity source · HTML · Source checked August 8, 2026
View City of Concord official material on James W. Kennedy ↗New Hampshire Judicial Branch
Identity source · HTML · Source checked August 6, 2026
View New Hampshire Judicial Branch ↗