The defendants are from different levels and branches of government. The plaintiffs are private citizens or government entities or corporations. The actions being requested are different. But all these cases have at least one thing in common: somewhere along the line a plaintiff filed a petition for a writ of mandamus (man-day-muhs) and asked a New Hampshire court to require/compel/direct/order the defendants to do something. Very few of those petitions succeeded, but this ancient common law writ that came to us from England, now written into statutes, is still alive and well in New Hampshire.
“Mandamus” is a Latin word which means “we command.” The writ of mandamus is one of the "extraordinary" writs used in New Hampshire. The writs are called "extraordinary" because the courts only issue them when exercising "unusual or discretionary" power to grant special, or extraordinary, remedies or relief. A writ of mandamus is filed in court to compel action which is required by law and there are no other adequate alternatives for relief.
Anyone considering requesting a writ of mandamus should consult Wiebusch on Civil Practice and Procedure. Chapter 38, Part C gives excellent, detailed information about the writ of mandamus in New Hampshire and includes references to many New Hampshire cases.
Wiebusch on New Hampshire Civil Practice and Procedure by 
Local Government Law by 
Law of Remedies, Damages, Equity, Restitution by 
Appellate Advocacy. by Please remember that this guide is for information purposes only and is not comprehensive.
It is intended as a starting point for research, to illustrate the various sources of the law, and to provide guidance in their use.
NH Law About ... is not a substitute for the services of an attorney.