4 days Ago
CONCORD — Retired Superior Court Judge Diane Nicolosi will serve as assistant administrator of the settlement fund that considers requests for money damages for sexual and physical abuse that victims allegedly suffered while living at the former Youth Development Center in Manchester. Until recently Nicolosi was a senior-status judge, assigned to specific superior court cases following her full-time retirement. Administrator John Broderick, a former Supreme Court justice, made the appointment after the Legislative Fiscal Committee had recently approved money for the new position.
“I had the privilege to practice law with Judge Nicolosi before we both took judicial posts. I know her skills and her work ethic,” Broderick said in a statement. “She is a thoughtful listener, exceptionally smart, and understands fully the requirements of the claims fund process.
She will be perfect in her new role as assistant claims administrator. I am proud to have her as a part of our team.” Attorney General John Formella had been involved in the selection of Nicolosi.
“Her addition to the administrator’s team will ensure that claims are processed in a timely, thoughtful, and respectful manner,” Formella said. The New Hampshire Legislature last spring approved legislation aimed at encouraging more of the estimated 1,400 who have brought claims regarding YDC to try to resolve them through the settlement process rather than in court through a civil lawsuit. The bill ( SB 591 ) significantly increased the cap on damages for sexual and physical abuse, added $60 million to the fund and gave Broderick authority to appoint assistants to deal with the expected increasing number of cases.
The fund already has received claims from 600 individuals and Broderick has said he expected to receive at least a few hundred more before the June 30, 2025, deadline to make such a request. According to that bill, which Gov. Chris Sununu signed into law, Nicolosi will have all the authority that Broderick has except to “render any final decision to approve payment.
” There had been nearly a two-month pause in accepting new claims from victims so that new rules could be written to account for changes in the claims process. The Supreme Court named Broderick administrator of the fund in October 2022. In a related matter, the Legislative Fiscal Committee on Friday approved increasing Formella’s litigation budget from $1 million to $7.
7 million . The Legislature traditionally gives the AG in the state budget a small amount to cover extraordinary legal costs and then permits requests each year to reflect actual expense. Formella said that increase includes an additional $315,000 needed for the criminal prosecution of former YDC employees charged with felonies and $2.
35 million more to cover expenses in the YDC civil cases that continue to proceed in the courts. [email protected].
