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Rent Regulations

N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540: § 540:18

Effect of Plea, etc.

In Force
Verified 10/20/2026 · Next check 10/27/2026
effective 10/20/2026New HampshireEviction & Just Cause

Operative Text

N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540: § 540:18
After the filing of such plea and the entry of such recognizance no further proceedings shall be had before the municipal court, but the action may be entered and prosecuted in the superior court in the same manner as if it were originally begun there.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Under N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:18, once a tenant files the appropriate plea and posts the required recognizance (a formal bond or security), the eviction proceeding stops at the municipal court level. The case is then transferred to the superior court, where it continues as though it had been filed there from the start. This provision establishes a procedural pathway that shifts the forum for the dispute without restarting the underlying action.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on October 20, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

For property owners and managers involved in an eviction proceeding under § 540:18, it is important to understand that a tenant's timely filing of a plea and recognizance will halt further proceedings at the municipal court. Compliant operators generally prepare for the possibility that the matter will be re-entered and prosecuted in superior court, which may involve different procedural rules and timelines. Familiarity with both court systems helps operators manage the process effectively.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Section 540:18 provides tenants with a procedural mechanism to move an eviction case from municipal court to superior court by filing a plea and entering into a recognizance. Once those steps are completed, the municipal court proceedings stop and the case is heard in superior court as if it had originated there. Tenants who believe this option may apply to their situation can learn more about the requirements through a local tenant-rights organization or by consulting the New Hampshire Judicial Branch's self-help resources.

General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.

Generated October 20, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.

Effective Timeline

Current
Oct 20, 2026
Click on timeline segments to view historical versions.

References Out

No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.

References In

Rules and statutes that cite this regulation

N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:2
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:14
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:4
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:2
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:5
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:13-d
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:13-a
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:1-b
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:3
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:11-b
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:13-a
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:5
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:2
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:1-a
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:2
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:20
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:13-a
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:2
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:1-a
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:5
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:14
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:2
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:9
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:2
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:3
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540

Related Rules

§ 151.20
TEMPORARY EVICTION CONTROLS AND RENT REDUCTIONS FOR MOBILE HOMES DAMAGED IN THE JANUARY, 1994 EARTHQUAKE
§ 1
Definitions
§ 2
Eviction of tenants prohibited; exceptions

Source Information

Source:https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/LV/540/540-18.htm
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