Bill Text: NH HR7 | 2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Instructing the house of representatives to investigate whether grounds exist to impeach Judge David Ruoff.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 3-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2025-01-07 - Introduced 01/08/2025 and referred to Judiciary House Journal 2 P. 18 [HR7 Detail]
Download: New_Hampshire-2025-HR7-Introduced.html
HR 7 - AS INTRODUCED
2025 SESSION
25-0673
08/09
HOUSE RESOLUTION 7
A RESOLUTION instructing the house of representatives to investigate whether grounds exist to impeach Judge David Ruoff.
SPONSORS: Rep. Belcher, Carr. 4; Rep. Bernardy, Rock. 36; Rep. Weyler, Rock. 14
COMMITTEE: Judiciary
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ANALYSIS
This resolution instructs the house of representatives to investigate whether grounds exist to impeach Judge David Ruoff.
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25-0673
08/09
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five
A RESOLUTION instructing the house of representatives to investigate whether grounds exist to impeach Judge David Ruoff.
Whereas, grounds may exist to impeach Judge David Ruoff for his decision in Contoocook Valley School District et al. v. State of New Hampshire; and
Whereas, Judge Ruoff rendered this decision demanding the allocation of over $500,000,000 of state funds in excess of those allocated by the legislature; and
Whereas, this demand for allocation of significant funds, representing approximately 4 percent of the total budget, implicitly further required the levying of such additional taxation by the state; and
Whereas, the powers of budgeting state funds and levying taxes are delegated exclusively to the legislature under the constitution of the state of New Hampshire, part 2, article 5 and article 56; and
Whereas, Judge Ruoff's decision, in which the judge noted that the legislature is delegated these powers even as he attempted to exercise them himself, appears to represent a flagrant and unapologetic usurpation of the legislature's powers of budgeting and levying taxation, a violation of the separation of powers doctrine, and an extreme case of judicial activism; and
Whereas, Judge Ruoff further strained temperance and prudence due an occupant of his office by refusing to stay his own order pending a review by the New Hampshire supreme court, thereby throwing this government into a brief period of chaos until the supreme court did stay his order, and representing another instance of extreme judicial activism; and
Whereas, the constitution of the state of New Hampshire places remedy by removal from office for cause with the legislature, as to be initiated by the house of representatives; and
Whereas, the house of representatives, in the interests of preserving the separation of powers, those powers rightly due the general court, and the orderly operations of government, must investigate whether grounds exist to impeach Judge David Ruoff; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives:
That the house of representatives shall investigate whether grounds exists to impeach Judge David Ruoff and that a report detailing the results of such investigation shall be submitted no later than November 1, 2025 to the speaker of the house of representatives and the house clerk with copies sent to the president of the senate, the senate clerk, and the administrative office of the courts.
