Serving the Public and the Profession
The VBA held its in-person Mid-Year Meeting at the Equinox Resort and Spa in Manchester Center on March 31 and followed up with a slate of webinars the following week. Attendance figures made it clear that people are ready to get out and meet together again! Last year’s Mid-Year Meeting was held in downtown Burlington…
The Judiciary issued an Administrative Directive on Feb. 21, 2023 concerning post-pandemic public access to Vermont court hearings. The Directive is effective immediately. The stated purpose, “is to assure that the public, including the media, is provided access to all non-confidential Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate and Judicial Bureau proceedings, whether they are conducted in-person, remotely,…
There is a large group of Superior Court judges and Supreme Court justices who are up for retention this year. They are: Justice Paul L. Reiber Justice Harold E. Eaton Jr. Justice Karen R. Carroll Justice William D. Cohen Justice Nancy J. Waples Judge Alison Arms Judge Thomas Carlson Judge Cortland Corsones Judge Michael Kainen…
The Vermont Judiciary conducted an election for new attorney members to the Judicial Nominating Board between Dec. 12 and Jan. 13. The votes have been counted and the Court announced on Jan. 18 that the attorney members of the Judicial Nominating Board will be Eleanor Spottswood, Esq. of Chittenden County, representing the State At-Large…
The Vermont Bar Association has a long-term focus on developing a diverse, knowledgeable, and vibrant bar. In furtherance of this goal, the VBA announces a new program of CLE courses focused on the basics of law: “The Brown Bag Law Study Program” (BBLS). Vermont is famous for being one of the few states where people…
Nominations are now open for candidates for VBA’s Annual Pro Bono Service Award. The Award is given each year to one or more attorneys who have devoted themselves in a noteworthy way to provide pro bono legal services to the poor and disadvantaged. Standards for the award reflect Rule 6.1 of the Vermont Rules…
For those who may need a quick refresher, Vermont’s Supreme Court Justices, Superior judges, magistrates, and the chair and members of the Public Utility Commission are appointed by the Governor from a list of candidates provided to him by the Judicial Nominating Board. Vermont attorneys are given three seats at the JNB table –…
After a three-year hiatus, the popular “Celebrate Pro Bono Conference” was back on Sept. 20, live and in-person, at the State House in Montpelier. The conference, which drew 100 participants, occupied the heart of the building all day long. Attorneys came to learn about pro bono and low bono opportunities in Vermont and to get…
More than 90 attorneys gathered at Lake Morey in Fairlee on September 30 for a day of mingling, learning (5 hours of CLE was available), and taking care of VBA business. All this occurred under blue skies and autumn leaves as the Connecticut River valley showed its best side. The lawyers were joined by the…
The Vermont judiciary today posted a survey that seeks to capture information about the experience of remote hearings from across the full range of court users. This new survey seeks input (anonymous) from parties, attorneys, victims, witnesses, jurors, the public, the media, and others regarding their experience with the court’s remote hearing technology and…