THE HANDBOOK, WHICH WAS PREPARED BY THE NEW HAMPSHIRE FAIR TRIAL-FREE PRESS COMMITTEE AND THE JUDICIAL PLANNING COMMITTEE OF THE STATE SUPREME COURT, IS DESIGNED FOR THE INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE OF REPORTERS, EDITORS, TEACHERS, AND OTHERS WHOSE PROFESSIONS BRING THEM IN CONTACT WITH THE LEGAL SYSTEM, AND AS A REFERENCE SOURCE FOR NONLAWYERS. IT TRACES CHRONOLOGICALLY THE STEPS INVOLVED IN PROCESSING CIVIL AND CRIMINAL CASES. SEPARATE SECTIONS EXPLAIN PRETRIAL PROCEDURES FOR CIVIL AND CRIMINAL CASES, AND A SECTION ON TRIALS COVERS PROCEDURES COMMON TO BOTH TYPES OF CASES. ALSO INCLUDED ARE CHARTS SHOWING THE STRUCTURE OF THE NEW HAMPSHIRE AND FEDERAL COURT SYSTEMS, A DISCUSSION OF FAIR TRIAL-FREE PRESS ISSUES, AND INFORMATION PERTAINING TO ACCESS BY THE MEDIA TO COURT RECORDS AND PROCEEDINGS. APPENDED MATERIALS INCLUDE A DIRECTIVE FROM THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES REGARDING THE RELEASE OF INFORMATION ON CRIMINAL CASES, A LIST OF TYPES OF INFORMATION ON CRIMINAL CASES THAT MAY BE RELEASED TO THE PRESS, A STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES AND RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE FAIR TRIAL-FREE PRESS COMMITTEE, AND A GLOSSARY OF LEGAL TERMINOLOGY. (LKM)