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Click HERE to read our blawg about Pet Law Day, the booming pet industry, case law and more! Despite that many studies have shown that pets can reduce obesity, increase happiness and reduce stress in their owners, they are simply, legally, personal property. Though many have tried, there cannot be a custody arrangement for a family pet in Vermont. Not only can pets not be subject to an order of custody, they also, unlike humans, can instead be subject to a “finders-keepers” ruling like a couch on a street corner. But unlike a couch, dogs escape and can bite either each other or humans. Also, unlike a couch, you cannot leave them in a hot car or otherwise mistreat them. Sound complicated? It is! We will explore these issues and more, including pet trusts, at Pet Law Day on September 30 in S. Burlington, so register TODAY!
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Thanks to all who attended VBA's AG Candidate Debate at the Pavilion yesterday. Special thanks go to Deb Bucknam and TJ Donovan for agreeing to participate in the debate and for the thought-provoking and engaging answers to all of our questions. Also thanks to ORCA Media for recording the event in their commitment to public access, which video is available HERE. Some photos from the event are HERE on our Facebook page.
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Welcome to the 2016 Vermont Poverty Law Fellow, Mairead O’Reilly! Mairead is our fifth Vermont Poverty Law Fellow, funded entirely by generous donations from over 300 Vermont lawyers, law firms and organizations to the annual Vermont Bar Foundation Access to Justice Campaign. The fellowship was designed to address serious unmet legal needs of Vermont’s low-income community. To read more about Mairead, the fellowship and the upcoming Justice Fest events, click HERE!
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The Vermont Center for Crime Victim Services held its annual "Courage in Bloom Garden Ceremony" on Friday, September 2, 2016 at the beautiful "Courage in Bloom Garden" located at 10-12 Baldwin Street in Montpelier. Retired VBA Executive Director Bob Paolini, who is also the current Chair of the VCCVS Board, served as Master of Ceremonies.
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Member Jim Knapp brought to our attention today's news urging all apple users to update to iOS 9.3.5. Although this update is merely one month after the 9.3.4 release, it contains security patches to fix a new jailbreak exploit discovered yesterday. Check out www.macrumors.com/2016/08/25/apple-releases-ios-9-3-5/ for more info.
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Chittenden Probate Judge Susan Fowler and Chittenden Probate Register Judy Joly each retired at the end of July, after long and illustrious tenures at their respective posts (Judy for 37 years and Judge Fowler for 22 years!) Click heading for pictures!
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The VBA would like to take a moment to remember and thank all of the volunteers who stepped up and assisted during the aftermath of Tropical Storm Irene, just 5 years ago yesterday. Story after story demonstrated the true meaning of “Vermont Strong” as volunteers mobilized state-wide in a most-impressive, spontaneous and effective fashion.
Vermont lawyers were no different – over one hundred volunteers assisted with the Vermont Bar Association, Vermont Legal Aid, Vermont Legal Services Law Line and Vermont Volunteer Lawyers Project legal assistance hotline which helped steer victims toward agencies, lawyers or other counselors to meet their immediate needs. Click heading for more...
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Nominations for three State Bar seats on the Judicial Nominating Board will be on the Agenda at the VBA Annual Meeting on October 14.