Cheshire County Court House

12 Court St.
Keene, NH 03431

County Attorney
 

(603) 352-0056
(603) 355-3012 Fax

Regional Prosecutor

(603) 283-3323
(603) 352-7246 Fax

The office of the Cheshire County Attorney consists of the County Attorney and five Assistant County Attorneys.

The County Attorney and his Assistants are responsible for the review and subsequent prosecution of all felony cases in Cheshire County, with the exception of murder cases which are handled by the office of the New Hampshire Attorney General.

The attorneys oversee major felony investigations, working closely with police officers and investigators. When an investigation is completed, the Attorneys then review all reports, and a determination is made as to proper criminal charges to be brought, if any.

The Attorneys, upon request, assist police departments, as well as the State Police, in the prosecution of cases in the lower courts, such as Keene District Court, Jaffrey District Court, and Hinsdale Municipal Court.

The Assistant County Attorneys handle hearings on incoming URESA (Uniform Reciprocal Enforcement of Support Act) Petitions, representing the interests of the out-of-state petitioner in Court. The Office also handles all out-going URESA Petitions.

The Attorneys handle other legal matters which come up within Cheshire County, such as assisting the Director of Human Services, the County Commissioners, the Superintendent at the Cheshire County Jail and House of Corrections and the Sheriff's Office.

Victim Advocate Services

Intervention and support - Involve victim in court process as soon as advocate is made aware of the case.
Orientation to the criminal justice system - Explain the court process and court procedures to all victims of crime.
Assistance with interviews - Assist local police departments with interviews of victims on an as needed basis.
Case status and disposition - Inform victims and witness of ongoing status, dates and times of hearings, trials, final disposition, sentence review, reduction and parole hearings.
Court advocacy services - Provide pretrial courtroom tours, accompany and support victims throughout the pre-trial hearings, the trial and post-trial hearings.
Referrals - Direct the victim to community resources for further assistance. This includes counseling services as well.
Property return assistance - Facilitate the return of property being held as evidence.
Assistance with restitution - Assist with handling of court-ordered restitution.
Assistance with Victim Impact Statements - Assist in the preparation of a statement to the Court describing the impact the crime has had on the victim. Accompany victim to the sentencing hearing.
Parole Notification - Ensure that the victim is notified of the right to speak at the defendant's parole hearing and is informed of changes in parole status. Accompany victim/family to appeals, reduction in sentence hearings, and parole hearings at the State Prison.

Regional Prosecutor

The Regional Prosecutor Office prosecutes Keene District Court cases for the City of Keene and ten Cheshire County towns: Alstead, Chesterfield, Hinsdale, Marlow, Swanzey, Stoddard, Sullivan, Surry, Walpole and Winchester. The Regional Prosecutor Program is a branch of the County Attorney’s Office and is overseen by County Attorney Peter Heed. The prosecutors for this program work hard to ensure justice. They are available to all persons affected by criminal cases filed by the police departments for the towns in the program.