Rules governing court procedure in civil actions are found in New Hampshire Revised Statutes, Title LIII. Parties in a civil action are called plaintiff and defendant. A plaintiff is the party who initiates the action and defendant is the adverse party. According to RSA 514:1, if a defendant after receiving the court process does not appear in court, his/her absence will be recorded and a judgment will be entered against the absent defendant. Under RSA 515:3 special pleas are not required in civil actions. However, special pleas are required in actions for title to real estate in municipal courts. Writ of summons is served by clerk of court requiring presence of witnesses in the case.
Trail is conducted either by jury or court. Generally, a judgment is considered as entered when the clerk signs and process the judgment upon motion of the prevailing party.