On Friday, August 1, 2025, Union Leader reported that attorneys for indicted New Hampshire Supreme Court Associate Justice Anna Barbara Hantz Marconi are seeking to postpone her trial, which is currently set to begin on September 2. The defense argues that the case “is not and cannot be ready for a fair trial on that date.”
The motion for a continuance comes just one day after the state submitted its witness list for the trial. This list includes notable figures such as former Governor Chris Sununu, Pease Development Authority Chairman Stephen Duprey, and New Hampshire Supreme Court Chief Justice Gordon MacDonald.
Hantz Marconi faces serious allegations, having been indicted by a Merrimack County grand jury on two felony charges: attempting to commit improper influence and criminal solicitation of improper influence. The charges stem from accusations that she interfered with a criminal investigation involving her husband, Geno Marconi, who serves as the director of the Division of Ports and Harbors under the Pease Development Authority.
In addition to the felony charges, Hantz Marconi is charged with five misdemeanors, including criminal solicitation of official oppression, official oppression, obstructing government administration, and two counts of criminal solicitation of misuse of position. The case revolves around a meeting that Hantz Marconi had with Sununu last summer, during which they discussed her husband and her case load, according to transcripts. While her attorneys maintain that no laws were violated, prosecutors claim there was criminal intent.
Hantz Marconi’s legal team has also requested the disqualification of Attorney General John Formella from her case, citing potential conflicts regarding his prior role as a private attorney for Sununu. However, Merrimack Superior Court Judge Martin P. Honigberg denied this request at the end of last year, stating that Hantz Marconi failed to demonstrate that Formella would not be able to fulfill his duty to remain impartial.
In a filing dated August 1, Hantz Marconi’s attorney, Richard Guerriero, indicated that he had renewed a motion to disqualify Formella, originally filed in October 2024. This matter is scheduled to be heard on August 8. The Attorney General’s Office has proposed extending all pretrial litigation deadlines for both the state and the defendant until 15 days after the court issues a ruling on the renewed motion.
This timeline raises concerns, as it could lead to insufficient time for filing motions and preparing for trial, according to Guerriero. He pointed out that even if the court rules on the renewed motion on August 8, the deadlines for other motions and pretrial litigation would fall on August 25, following a final pretrial conference scheduled for August 18.
Guerriero emphasized the challenges posed by pending motions to dismiss and a motion for bills of particulars, all of which remain unresolved as of August 1. He argued that without clarity on which charges will be tried and the details contained in the bills of particulars, the defense cannot adequately prepare for trial.
The complexity of the case is further compounded by a motion filed by counsel for the New Hampshire Supreme Court, which seeks to limit or bar the testimony of four justices who are witnesses. Guerriero noted that the legal issues raised in this motion are unprecedented in New Hampshire, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the trial.
In addition to the aforementioned witnesses, the prosecution’s witness list includes several individuals from the state Department of Justice, New Hampshire State Police, and the Pease Development Authority. Subpoenas have also been issued to Supreme Court Justices James Bassett, Melissa Countway, and Patrick Donovan, with the defense seeking to have Attorney General Formella testify as well.
Source: Union Leader
