Gordon MacDonald Resigns as Chief Justice of NH Supreme Court Saying He Accepts Responsibility for his Conduct

Key Points:

• Gordon MacDonald has resigned as Chief Justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court following an ethics probe into his handling of a $50,000 payout to a close colleague, Dianne Martin, admitting violations of judicial conduct rules related to favoritism and improper hiring practices.
• The Judicial Conduct Committee (JCC) found that MacDonald bypassed required merit-based hiring processes and misrepresented the circumstances of Martin’s layoff and rehire, undermining public confidence in the judiciary.
• MacDonald’s resignation was part of a settlement agreement with the JCC, which dropped its ethics investigation after he accepted responsibility and waived further hearings; he also agreed to cover legal fees incurred by the committee.
• The controversy was initially exposed by a 2025 New Hampshire Public Radio report, prompting a JCC inquiry; MacDonald had been on medical leave since July 24, with associate justices managing court administration in his absence.
• The resignation has sparked calls for delaying the appointment of a new chief justice until after the next election, amid concerns about the court’s credibility and ongoing scrutiny of other justices linked to related ethical issues.