When our Constitution was written, our Framers clearly defined the role of the Judicial Branch: prioritize the law over personal convictions, public pressure, or political whims. New Hampshire needs a principled jurist who will uphold that vision in our next Supreme Court Justice. Judge Dan Will is the man for the job. He is a qualified, constitutional conservative who will uphold the rule of law above all else.
I have known Dan Will professionally for many years, including during the time he appeared before the New Hampshire Supreme Court while I served on that Court. He is a truly outstanding lawyer who has served with distinction as a justice of the Superior Court. He is deeply committed to fairness, careful legal reasoning, and the constitutional limits of judicial authority. Those qualities are not just admirable — they are essential.
Before joining the bench, Judge Will served as Solicitor General in the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office, the first person to hold the position. In that role, he operated under a long-standing principle that goes back decades: the Attorney General’s Office defends the state in all matters unless the action or law at issue is patently illegal or unconstitutional. During times of crisis, including emergencies that resulted in lawsuits challenging state actions, Dan’s job as Solicitor General was to defend the state.
I know there are many who disagreed with the state’s position during the COVID-19 pandemic, but I want to set the record straight on an argument some are making. At no point did the state call for suspending the Constitution, nor did Dan Will or anyone else at the Attorney General’s Office suggest that constitutional rights could be set aside in an emergency. When disasters occur, the government has to act to protect the public, and the Solicitor General’s job is to defend the state’s ability to perform key functions in a crisis.
Dan Will’s exemplary service in an extraordinarily challenging environment shows his commitment to doing his job and doing it well. He put aside whatever personal views or opinions he may have had to uphold the rule of law. That is what conservatives should expect from any judicial nominee Gov. Kelly Ayotte puts forward during her time in the Corner Office, and it is what she has delivered in nominating Judge Will.
On the Superior Court, Judge Will presides over complex trial matters while bringing with him deep experience in appellate advocacy and government litigation. He also cares deeply about the integrity of the judicial branch and has been involved with panels and committees focused on maintaining it.
Outside the courtroom, Dan Will is an outdoorsman, a devoted family man, and an active member of his church. To put it simply, Dan Will is grounded in the values that define New Hampshire.
Judge Will will make an outstanding Supreme Court Justice, and Gov. Ayotte deserves credit once again for hitting a home run with this nomination. Our state will be well served by someone who understands that the Constitution endures precisely because it is upheld, even especially when it is tested.
Robert J. Lynn resides in Windham, New Hampshire, and is a State Representative for Rockingham County District 17. He served for nearly 27 years as a judge on the New Hampshire Superior and Supreme Courts, retiring as Supreme Court Chief Justice in 2019.