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Understanding Trucking Accidents in New Hampshire and Massachusetts: What Victims Need to Know
By Rory Parnell• February 26, 2026Trucking accidents are among the most devastating collisions on our roadways. Because of the size and weight of commercial trucks, crashes often result in catastrophic injuries, extensive property damage, and heartbreaking loss. For residents of New Hampshire and Massachusetts, where interstate travel is common and freight traffic is heavy, understanding the unique legal landscape surrounding trucking accidents can make all the difference in pursuing justice and fair compensation. Why Trucking Accidents Are Different Trucks are not ordinary vehicles. A fully loaded commercial truck can weigh up to 80,000 pounds — nearly 20 times heavier than the average passenger car. This weight alone increases stopping distances and magnifies impacts. When a truck collides with a smaller vehicle, the results can be life-altering. But beyond the physics…
Spoliation: Top Five Reasons You Have To Preserve Evidence
By Rory Parnell• February 17, 2026Spoliation is when evidence that is necessary to evaluate the merits of the case is destroyed or not maintained prior to a lawsuit. So, if you have been injured, and you are not sure what happened, you may have a duty to preserve evidence, as will the potential defendant in your case. Maybe you slipped on something in a grocery store, or maybe there was a mechanical failure in an ATV or snowmobile, and now you are in the hospital unsure of what to do. If you find yourself in this situation, here are the top five reasons to preserve evidence: If you are involved in a situation where you were injured, it is best to speak to an attorney early in the process to…
Was it Correcting a Mistake or Modifying a Divorce Decree?
By Rory Parnell• February 9, 2026The New Hampshire Supreme Court recently issued an order on In the Matter of Warren Jackson and Jean Jackson, Case No. 2024-0242. The parties had a long-term marriage and Husband filed for divorce in October 2020. Prior to the Final Hearing, Wife filed two Motions for Contempt. One of the Motions claimed that Husband did not comply with mandatory financial disclosure under Rule 1.25-A, and the other claimed that Husband had removed personal property from the marital home and refused to return it. A Final Hearing was held in July 2022 and a Final Decree was issued in December 2022. With regard to the Motion for Contempt filed by Wife prior to the Final Hearing pertaining to personal property, the trial court ordered Husband to…
“Flying Snow Is No Accident: Jessica’s Law in New Hampshire”
By Rory Parnell• January 23, 2026As snow is bearing down on most of the country and is coming to New Hampshire this weekend, it is important to remember laws associated with snow. One of them is called “Jessica’s Law”. Jessica’s Law has been the law of New Hampshire for over twenty (20) years now. It is a law that requires the clearing of ice and snow off the top of a vehicle prior to driving it. The basis of the law was a tragic accident that claimed the life of Jessica Smith in 1999. A piece of ice about nine (9) feet long flew off of a tractor trailer, smashing into a box truck that veered into Jessica’s vehicle causing her death. The accident in Peterborough is not long…
REMEMBER TO PRACTICE 12 DAYS OF CO-PARENTING CALM
By Rory Parnell• December 22, 2025I came across a wonderful blog called “12 Days of Co-Parenting Calm” written by Deb Gilman and posted on the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals website. You can find that blog here: 12 Days of Co-Parenting Calm. As I read this blog, I am reminded that the holidays are supposed to be fun and joyful for children! When parents are going through a divorce/separation or are already divorced, it can be difficult to remember this important fact. Adding stress or chaos to your children’s lives by engaging in conflict with their other parent removes the fun and joy the children should be experiencing over the holidays. As you go through the holidays this year, please try to remember the importance of calm. Your children will benefit…
UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT DECIDES SAME SEX MARRIAGE RULING STILL VALID
By Jessica Hanna, Clerk• December 3, 2025The Supreme Court of the United States was recently asked to take up a request to overturn the 2015 landmark ruling granting same sex couples the right to marry, Obergefell v. Hodges. The request came on behalf of Kim Davis, a former Kentucky county clerk who gained public attention in 2015. Following the Supreme Court’s ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, Kim Davis stopped issuing marriage licenses to any couples the county she clerked in due to what she indicated was a personal religious belief that marriage is a union of one man and one woman. She has been involved in various litigation since then stemming from her denial of marriage licenses and her refusal to comply with court orders to issue marriage licenses. The most…
PARENT CLAIMS HE DOESN’T OWE BACK CHILD SUPPORT WITHOUT A CONTEMPT FINDING: NH SUPREME COURT SAYS HE’S WRONG
By Rory Parnell• November 14, 2025The NH Supreme Court recently had the opportunity to answer the question of whether a parent can be found to owe back child support when they are not found in contempt in a case called In the Matter of Curtis, 2025-0007. Contempt is often found when a party to a case has not complied with a Court order. Failure to pay child support under a court order often can lead to a finding that a parent is in contempt of that order. In the Curtis case, the parties are the parents of four minor children. The mother registered a child support order issued by another state in New Hampshire and although the case is not clear on this, appears to have filed to modify or…
Are All Conversations With a Lawyer Privileged? Exceptions To The Attorney/Client Privilege
By Rory Parnell• November 10, 2025We often hear about how communications between attorneys and their clients are privileged, meaning that they are confidential. Therefore, third parties cannot compel either the attorney or the client to disclose the contents of their communications with each other. An aspect of this privilege that is not often discussed is that there are exceptions to the privilege in certain, limited situations. For instance, communications between a client and a lawyer are no longer privileged if there is a third party involved in the communication. If you bring a friend to a meeting with your lawyer, the contents of that meeting are no longer privileged because the presence of the third party waives the attorney-client privilege. The NH Supreme Court recently issued an order on a…
NH SUPREME COURT EXTENDS DEATH BENEFITS TO WIDOW OF WORKER
By Rory Parnell• October 31, 2025The New Hampshire (NH) Supreme Court recently addressed the tragic situation of a woman who lost her husband to cancer from his work at a firefighter. Her husband was employed as a firefighter for nearly 20 years. He began seeking treatment for health issues in early 2019 and was eventually diagnosed with bile duct cancer. Husband submitted a report of injury to the Department of Labor. Husband’s request for Workers’ Compensation was denied by the employer. Husband did not pursue the claim any further and died in January 2020. Wife applied for death benefits in April 2020, four months after Husband’s death. She was initially denied benefits and successfully appealed the order. Wife then requested Workers’ Compensation death benefits in January 2023. The employer and…
