It is not every day you see a sitting Supreme Court Justice walk into a courtroom as a defendant. But that’s exactly what happened in New Hampshire. The case involving Associate Justice Anna Barbara Hantz Marconi has been a whirlwind of headlines, high-stakes political meetings, and a husband’s legal troubles that eventually dragged the state's highest court into a messy spotlight.
Back in October 2024, the news dropped like a lead weight: an NH Supreme Court justice indicted. It wasn’t just a single charge, either. We’re talking about a seven-count indictment that included two felonies. The allegations? Basically, that she tried to use her massive influence to interfere with a criminal investigation into her husband, Geno Marconi, who was the longtime director of the state's ports.
The Meeting That Changed Everything
The core of the state's case centered on a private conversation. In June 2024, Justice Hantz Marconi sat down with then-Governor Chris Sununu. On the surface, it was supposed to be about a personal matter. However, the Attorney General’s office alleged the Justice used that time to push back against the grand jury investigation into her husband.
According to prosecutors, she told the Governor there was "no merit" to the case against Geno. She reportedly mentioned how the whole thing was affecting her ability to do her job on the Supreme Court. Honestly, it's a wild scenario to imagine—a top judge telling the Governor that a criminal probe "needed to wrap up quickly."
The State’s argument was pretty straightforward: she was soliciting the Governor to misuse his position. They called it a "serious breach of the public trust." Attorney General John Formella didn't mince words, stating that being a justice doesn't put you above the law.
Breaking Down the Indictments
When the news first broke, the list of charges was daunting. If you’re keeping track, here is what the Merrimack County grand jury originally threw at her:
🔗 Read more: St. Joseph MO Weather Forecast: What Most People Get Wrong About Northwest Missouri Winters
- Two Class B Felonies: Attempt to Commit Improper Influence and Criminal Solicitation of Improper Influence.
- Five Class A Misdemeanors: These covered things like Official Oppression, Obstructing Government Administration, and Misuse of Position.
If she had been convicted on the felonies, she was looking at years in prison. Naturally, her legal team, led by Richard Guerriero, fought back hard. They argued she was just exercising her right to free speech and to petition the government. They even tried to claim judicial immunity. The courts, however, weren't buying the immunity argument for actions taken outside of her official judicial rulings.
The No-Contest Plea and the Resolution
Fast forward to October 7, 2025. The high-profile trial that was supposed to feature testimony from Governor Sununu and Chief Justice Gordon MacDonald never happened. Instead, Hantz Marconi took a deal.
She pleaded nolo contendere (no contest) to a single class B misdemeanor: Criminal Solicitation of Misuse of Position.
For those who aren't legal nerds, a "no contest" plea means you aren't admitting you're guilty, but you’re accepting that the state has enough evidence to convict you. In exchange, the state dropped all the other charges, including those scary felonies.
The punishment? A $1,200 fine. That’s it. No jail time. No probation.
💡 You might also like: Snow This Weekend Boston: Why the Forecast Is Making Meteorologists Nervous
The Aftermath and Retirement
You might think that after a conviction, she’d be off the bench immediately. It’s a bit more complicated than that. Because the Attorney General agreed that this specific misdemeanor wasn't a "serious crime" under court rules (meaning it didn't involve things like fraud or bribery in the traditional sense), she was actually allowed to keep her law license and, technically, her seat.
However, the optics were... not great.
In November 2025, Justice Hantz Marconi sent a letter to her colleagues. She decided to "curtail" her duties. Basically, she stopped hearing cases and taking part in decisions as of November 1. She stayed on to help with "administrative matters" until her mandatory retirement age of 70, which hits on February 12, 2026.
She’s leaving with a pension worth about $111,046 a year.
Why This Case Matters for New Hampshire
This wasn't just about one judge's personal drama. It shook the foundation of the NH judicial system. For months, the Supreme Court had to operate with substitute judges because the other justices had to recuse themselves from her disciplinary case.
📖 Related: Removing the Department of Education: What Really Happened with the Plan to Shutter the Agency
And let’s not forget about Geno Marconi. His legal saga continued separately. He faced his own set of charges, including witness tampering and deleting voicemails. His trial was pushed to early 2026, keeping the Marconi name in the legal headlines long after his wife's case wrapped up.
Some people think she got off easy with just a fine. Others think the Attorney General overreached by charging her in the first place for what they see as a wife defending her husband.
What You Should Do Next
If you’re following this case because you care about judicial integrity or just love NH politics, here’s how to stay informed:
- Monitor the Retirement Date: February 12, 2026, is the official end of her tenure. Watch for who the new Governor nominates to fill that massive vacancy on the five-member court.
- Follow the Husband’s Trial: Geno Marconi’s trial in Rockingham County is the "other half" of this story. The evidence presented there might shed more light on what the Justice was so worried about back in June 2024.
- Review Judicial Conduct Reports: The Judicial Conduct Committee still oversees how judges behave. Their future reports might offer a more "behind-the-scenes" look at the ethics of the Sununu meeting.
- Check Local Legal News: Outlets like InDepthNH and the NH Bulletin have been the dogs on the bone for this story. They’ll likely have the best coverage of the upcoming vacancy appointment.
The "nh supreme court justice indicted" saga is reaching its final chapter, but the impact on public trust in Concord is going to be felt for a long time.