Supreme Court Appoints Judge Ellen V. Christo as Administrative Judge of the Circuit Court

Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Supreme Court today selected Judge Ellen V. Christo to serve as Administrative Judge of the New Hampshire Circuit Court, taking over oversight responsibilities of the state’s 34 Circuit Courts from Judge David D. King, who is retiring as of July 1, 2024. King has been a Circuit Court Judge since 2007 and has served as Administrative Judge of the Circuit Court since 2017. Judge Christo currently sits as a Judge in the 10^th Circuit Court in Hampton and Brentwood, presiding over cases in District, Family and Probate divisions. Judge Christo was nominated to the bench by Governor Christopher Sununu and confirmed by the Executive Council in 2021.

 

“I am honored and grateful to be chosen as the next Administrative Judge of the Circuit Court,” said Judge Christo. “This is an awesome responsibility and Judge King certainly leaves enormous shoes to fill. In shear numbers, Circuit Courts in New Hampshire see nearly 100,000 cases every year, and a vast majority of the litigants in those cases represent themselves without any lawyers. The judges who hear cases every day in our Circuit Courts make decisions that greatly impact the lives of thousands of New Hampshire residents that come before them, supported by the hard work of hundreds of clerks and court personnel.  My goal as Administrative Judge is to support the work of our court staff to help the citizens of our state find fair resolution to their cases and fulfill our constitutional duty to provide equal justice to all. We are engaged in a number of initiatives to modernize our operations and expand access to justice, and I am eager to get started with the work of leading these efforts.”

 

Prior to being appointed to the bench, Judge Christo served as General Counsel & Head of Government Affairs to two international companies in the defense and plastics industries. In those roles, she was responsible for negotiating sophisticated commercial contracts, overseeing mergers and acquisitions, running the company’s legal department, and working directly with U.S. Senators, Governors, staff and regulators to generate public policy, regulations and congressional budget requests. Prior to that role, Judge Christo served as a jury trial litigator for a boutique law firm in Boston specializing in complex commercial cases.

 

“We are extremely lucky to have someone of Judge Christo’s caliber, experience and temperament take the helm leading the largest division of courts in the Judicial Branch,” said New Hampshire Supreme Court Chief Justice Gordon J. MacDonald. “The Circuit Courts are the front line in the administration of justice in New Hampshire. With nearly 100,000 cases per year, the court’s work touches directly on matters of great importance to so many in our state. It does so through the work of incredibly dedicated court operations staff, clerks, and judges. Judge Christo has demonstrated that she has the vision, energy, and skills to build a very strong foundation and lead the talented Circuit court team in its efforts to improve and innovate.”

 

Judge Christo has also been active in the International Women Judge’s Association, playing a central role in helping resettle women judges from Afghanistan who were under death threats since the Taliban won back control of the country in 2021. She also worked directly with the government of Albania, drafting new laws and assisting with the World Bank, as the country transitioned from a Communist dictatorship to a Democracy.

 

The Circuit Court system includes 31 District and Family Divisions, and 10 Probate Divisions. In 2023, there were 97,777 total cases filed in New Hampshire Circuit Courts, including: 45,228 criminal cases, 16,468 small claims matters, and 12,477 probate cases.

 

###