MicroGroks
I recently filed two Attorney Discipline Office complaints, one against Attorney Hilliard and another against Attorney Bolton for failing to provide me with a properly and equitably marked exhibit book for a December 2023 Trial in which I am seeking records on the downtown barriers and the Nashua Performing Arts Center.
I have spent three years in the Nashua South civil court addressing records disputes with the City of Nashua. During this time, I’ve gained experience formulating an opinion on the impartiality of the Nashua judges in hearing cases brought against Cities.
Nashua’s Superior Court civil judges appear to align with the Nashua City Attorneys on Right to Know (RTK) cases. Judges are required by their ethics rules and training to conduct themselves impartially, but this is not happening in Nashua. I’ve been before two judges for my cases: Judge Temple and Judge Colburn.
I have been in court for over three years, arguing for transparency in Nashua’s public records. The experience has been profoundly disappointing. The courts are overburdened and under-resourced and often appear aligned with the city.
On February 28, 2024, Nashua Superior Court held a Motions hearing where a plaintiff was representing herself against the City of Nashua. Attorney Bolton appeared to represent the City.
Late in the fall of 2023, the Supreme Court issued mandates that ordered the City of Nashua to follow the trial court’s order in two Right-to-Know (RTK) Petitions and produce emails stored on backup tape. The email records requested were for two months of specific records within Nashua’s assessing office.
HB1002 recently passed the House by about a dozen votes and now heads to the Senate for deliberations. This Bill permits municipalities to establish a policy to charge up to $25 per hour for requests that take over 10 hours to fill.
On January 11, 2024, the AG’s office issued a Cease and Desist Order to Mayor Donchess for electioneering during the 2021 campaign. Electioneering is a criminal misdemeanor under RSA 659. That year, against the vote of the Board of Alderman, the Mayor led a ballot initiative to change how the police commissioners would be appointed.
Remember how fun it was in grade school playing the game of musical chairs? You’d circle around the chairs to music and when the music stopped everyone had to grab a chair. But, they were one short. Out went the kid who didn’t get the seat. It was a frantic, fun game that honed kids’ …
I have been involved with Right-to-Know litigation in the City of Nashua for four years now, and the experiences have left me with a story to tell. How does a citizen bring an RTK case to court? Realistically, you have to represent yourself and file pro se.
