Stephen Judge

Steve Judge is a US Navy veteran who served as a petty officer on active duty from 1971-1973.  He practiced law in New Hampshire from 1983 until he retired in June 2019.  Currently, he shares responsibility for administrative rules at the New Hampshire Liquor Commission.

Steve clerked with Judges Souter, Dalianis and Diclerico at the NH Superior Court from 1982-1984.  He joined the Attorney General’s Office in 1984 and left as acting attorney general in 2003.  He was a partner at Wadleigh, Starr & Peters from 2003-2019.

During his career, Steve specialized in administrative law, complex civil litigation and appellate advocacy.  His cases included the Claremont education litigation, restructuring of the five New Hampshire electric utilities, public acquisition of Pennichuck Water Works, and opposing the Norther Pass.

Steve was lead counsel representing defendants in a dozen civil jury trials in state and federal court in New Hampshire.  He also represented defendants in bench trials and respondents in administrative hearings before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Public Utilities Commission and the Site Evaluation Committee.  He served as Presiding Officer at the NH Banking Commission.  He represented most of the state administrative agencies.

He participated in over 30 appellate cases, arguing more than 10 at the NH Supreme Court and one at the First Circuit.  He opposed cert. in 4 cases at the US Supreme Court.

He represented Mutual Pharmaceutical as trial and appellate counsel in a case applying the impossibility preemption doctrine of the Supremacy Clause under FDA law and regulations to bar a New Hampshire tort claim.  Bartlett v. Mutual Pharmaceutical, 570 US 472 (2013).

On many occasions, Steve testified before NH legislative committees to advocate the views of the executive branch.  He also represented the Governor and Executive Council and advised them on legal issues, e.g., the pardon power.

Steve was a member of the following bars:

Massachusetts

New Hampshire

USDC, New Hampshire

First Circuit

Tenth Circuit

US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

United States Supreme Court

Education:

University of Maryland, BA, Theater 1976

Boston College Law School, JD cum laude 1982