--- title: "James W. Kennedy | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/james-w-kennedy-nh-trial" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-07" --- # James W. Kennedy New Hampshire Superior Court · Superior Court Justice ## Profile - Court: New Hampshire Superior Court - State: New Hampshire - Role: Superior Court Justice - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-07-27 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## 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 ## Before you appear - Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed. - Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance. - Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding. ## Courtroom Rules ### electronic devices and media Scope: 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. Evidence excerpt: 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](https://www.courts.nh.gov/media/guidelines-use-cameras-and-audio-equipment) Source checked: 2026-07-27 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://www.courts.nh.gov/our-courts/superior-court/justices) - [Official roster](https://www.courts.nh.gov/our-courts/superior-court/justices) - [New Hampshire Judicial Branch official judicial roster](https://www.courts.nh.gov/our-courts/superior-court/justices) - [New Hampshire Judicial Branch Guidelines for Use of Cameras and Audio Equipment](https://www.courts.nh.gov/media/guidelines-use-cameras-and-audio-equipment) - [City of Concord official material on James W. Kennedy](https://concordnh.gov/Archive.aspx?ADID=7982) - [New Hampshire Judicial Branch](https://www.courts.nh.gov/our-courts/superior-court/justices) - [City of Concord official material on James W. Kennedy](https://concordnh.gov/Archive.aspx?ADID=7982) - [New Hampshire Judicial Branch](https://www.courts.nh.gov/our-courts/superior-court/justices) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/james-w-kennedy-nh-trial", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/james-w-kennedy-nh-trial", "name": "James W. Kennedy | KnowJudges", "description": "James W. Kennedy, New Hampshire Superior Court. 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