“On appeal, we sustain the findings and rulings of the trial court unless they are lacking in evidential support or tainted by error of law.” Phillips v. City of Concord, 145 N.H. 522, 524 (2000) (quotation omitted). Although our policy is to address constitutional issues only when necessary, seeState v. Berrocales, 141 N.H. 262, 264 (1996), we conclude that the factual record is inadequate to decide whether the ordinance is ultra vires.
See RSA 173-B:4. We next address whether the district court erred in finding that the plaintiff was abused within the meaning of RSA 173-B:1, I. On appeal, "[w]e review sufficiency of the evidence claims as a matter of law," In re Estate of Cass, 143 N.H. 57, 60 (1998) (quotation omitted), and uphold "the findings and rulings of the trial court unless they are lacking in evidential support or tainted by error of law," Phillips v. City of Concord, 145 N.H. 522, 524, (2000) (quotation omitted). See also RSA 173-B:3, VI. "We accord considerable weight to the trial court's judgments on the credibility of witnesses and the weight to be given testimony."