N.H. R. Evid. 501

As amended through September 26, 2024

Rule 501 - Privileges Recognized Only as Provided

(a) Except as otherwise provided by constitution or statute or by these or other rules promulgated by the Supreme Court of this State, no person has a privilege to:

(1) Refuse to be a witness;

(2) Refuse to disclose any matter;

(3) Refuse to produce any object or writing, or

(4) Prevent another from being a witness or disclosing any matter or producing any object or writing.

(b) Nothing herein shall be construed to confer a privilege otherwise limited by statute.

N.H. R. Evid. 501

2016 NHRE Update Committee Note

No change was made to New Hampshire Rule of Evidence 501 by supreme court order dated April 20, 2017, effective July 1, 2017. None of the privilege rules were adopted from the Federal Rules of Evidence so they were not part of the Update Committee's targeted review. Some of the rules of privilege are adopted from the Uniform Rules of Evidence and some of them summarize New Hampshire statutes on privilege that were in existence at the time the New Hampshire Rules of Evidence were adopted. The Uniform Rules of Evidence were modified in 2005. The Update Committee did not make recommendations to amend these rules based upon Uniform Rule modifications.