Section 402-C:4 Jurisdiction and Venue.
I. Actions by Commissioner. Except as provided in paragraph II of this section and RSA 402-C:24, I, no delinquency proceeding shall be commenced under this chapter by anyone other than the commissioner of this state and no court shall have jurisdiction to entertain, hear or determine any proceeding commenced by any other person.
II. Actions by Judgment Creditors.
(a) The judgment creditors of 3 or more unrelated judgments may commence proceedings under the conditions and in the manner prescribed in this section, by serving notice upon the commissioner and the insurer of intention to file a petition for liquidation under RSA 402-C:20 or 53. Each of the judgments must:
(1) Have been rendered against the insurer by a court in this state having jurisdiction over the subject matter and the insurer;
(2) Have been entered more than 60 days before the service of notice;
(3) Not have been paid in full;
(4) Not be the subject of a valid contract between the insurer and any judgment creditor for payment of the judgment, unless the contract has been breached by the insurer; and
(5) Not be a judgment on which an appeal or review is pending.
(b) If any one of the judgments in favor of a petitioning creditor remains unpaid for 30 days after service of the notice, and the commissioner has not then filed a petition for liquidation, the creditor may file in the name of the commissioner a verified petition for liquidation of the insurer under RSA 402-C:20 or 53 alleging the conditions stated in this paragraph. The commissioner shall be served and joined in the action.
III. Exclusiveness of Proceedings. No court of this state shall have jurisdiction to entertain, hear or determine any complaint praying for the dissolution, liquidation, rehabilitation, sequestration, conservation or receivership of any insurer, or praying for an injunction or restraining order or other relief preliminary to, incidental to or relating to such proceedings other than in accordance with this chapter.
IV. Change of Venue. Venue for proceedings arising under this chapter shall be laid initially as specified in the sections providing for such proceedings. All other actions and proceedings initiated by the receiver may be commenced and tried where the delinquency proceedings are then pending or Merrimack county superior court. All other actions and proceedings against the receiver shall be commenced and tried in the county where the delinquency proceedings are pending. At any time upon motion of any party, venue may be changed by order of the court or the presiding judge thereof to any other superior court in this state, as the convenience of the parties and witnesses and the ends of justice may require. This paragraph relates only to venue and is not jurisdictional.
V. Personal Jurisdiction, Grounds for. In addition to other grounds for jurisdiction provided by the laws of this state, a court of this state having jurisdiction of the subject matter has jurisdiction over a person served in an action brought by the receiver of a domestic insurer or an alien insurer domiciled in this state:
(a) If the person served is an agent, broker, or other person who has at any time written policies of insurance for or has acted in any manner whatsoever on behalf of an insurer against which a delinquency proceeding has been instituted, in any action resulting from or incident to such a relationship with the insurer.
(b) If the person served is a reinsurer who has at any time entered into a contract of reinsurance with an insurer against which a delinquency proceeding has been instituted, or is an agent or broker of or for the reinsurer, in any action on or incident to the reinsurance contract.
(c) If the person served is or has been an officer, director, manager, trustee, organizer, promoter, or other person in a position of comparable authority or influence over an insurer against which a delinquency proceeding has been instituted, in any action resulting from or incident to such a relationship with the insurer.
(d) If the person served is or was at the time of the institution of the delinquency proceeding against the insurer holding assets in which the receiver claims an interest on behalf of the insurer, in any action concerning the assets.
(e) If the person served is obligated to the insurer in any way whatsoever, in any action on or incident to the obligation.
VI. Forum Non Conveniens. If the court on motion of any party finds that any action commenced under paragraph V should as a matter of substantial justice be tried in a forum outside this state, the court may enter an order to stay further proceedings on the action in this state.
Source. 1969, 272:1. 1991, 96:1, eff. Jan. 1, 1992.