Rule 24.Production of Documents

Group V: Discovery · Last amended October 1, 2013 · Last verified July 14, 2026

In one sentenceRule 24 is New Hampshire's document-request rule, letting a party demand inspection or copies of documents, electronically stored information, and tangible things, or entry onto land, with a written response due within 30 days.

Full Text of Rule 24

Text sizeJump to: (a) (b)

(a) Scope. Any party may serve on any other party a request: (1) to produce and permit the party making the request, or someone acting on the requestor's behalf, to inspect, copy, test, or sample any designated documents or electronically stored information including writings, drawings, graphs, charts, photographs, sound recordings, images, and other data or data compilations stored in any medium from which information can be obtained, translated, if necessary, by the respondent into reasonably usable form, or to inspect and copy, test, or sample any designated tangible things which constitute or contain matters within the scope of Rule 21(b) and which are in the possession, custody or control of the party upon whom the request is served; or (2) to permit entry upon designated land or other property in the possession or control of the party upon whom the request is served for the purpose of inspection and measuring, surveying, photographing, testing, or sampling the property or any designated object or operation thereon, within the scope of Rule 21(b).

(b) Procedure.

(1) The request shall set forth, either by individual item or by category, the items to be inspected, and describe each with reasonable particularity. The request shall specify a reasonable time, place, and manner of making the inspection and performing the related acts.

(2) The party upon whom the request is served shall serve a written response within 30 days after the service of the request. A shorter or longer time may be directed by the court or, in the absence of such an order, agreed to in writing by the parties. The response shall state, with respect to each item or category, that inspection and related activities will be permitted as requested, unless the request is objected to, in which event the reasons for the objection shall be stated. If objection is made to part of an item or category, the part shall be specified and inspection permitted of the remaining parts.

(3) A party who produces documents for inspection shall produce them as they are kept in the usual course of business or shall organize and label them to correspond with the categories in the request.

End

Amendment History

Adopted May 22, 2013, eff. October 1, 2013.

Plain-English Summary

Rule 24 lets a party ask another party to produce documents, electronically stored information, or tangible things for inspection, copying, testing, or sampling, and to allow entry onto land in the other party's possession or control for inspection, measuring, surveying, photographing, testing, or sampling. The request must describe the items sought — individually or by category — with reasonable particularity, and must specify a reasonable time, place, and manner for the inspection.

The party receiving the request has 30 days, unless the court or an agreement between the parties sets a different deadline, to serve a written response stating whether it will permit inspection as requested. If it objects, it must state the reasons for the objection; a partial objection requires the responding party to specify which part it objects to and permit inspection of the rest. When a party produces documents, it must produce them either as they are kept in the ordinary course of business or organized and labeled to match the categories in the request.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can a party request under Rule 24?

Documents and electronically stored information such as writings, drawings, photographs, and sound recordings, tangible things, and entry onto land or other property for inspection, measuring, surveying, photographing, testing, or sampling.

How specific does a Rule 24 request have to be?

The request must identify the items by individual item or category and describe each with reasonable particularity, and it must specify a reasonable time, place, and manner for the inspection.

How long does a party have to respond to a document request?

30 days after service, unless the court orders a different deadline or the parties agree in writing to one.

Can a party object to only part of a request?

Yes. Rule 24(b)(2) allows a partial objection; the responding party must specify the objectionable part and still permit inspection of the remaining parts.

How must documents be organized when they are produced?

Rule 24(b)(3) requires production either in the order the documents are kept in the ordinary course of business or organized and labeled to correspond to the categories in the request.

Source & verification. Rule text, official Comments, and amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the New Hampshire Superior Court Civil Rules, adopted by the New Hampshire Supreme Court. Last verified July 14, 2026. · Official source

Also known as: request for production nhrfpdocument requests rulenh rule 24production of documents new hampshire