Serving the Public and the Profession
Governor Phil Scott honored the winners of the VBA 2023 Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School Poster/Essay contest at a ceremony at the State House on March 22. The contest, sponsored annually by the Young Lawyers Division and the Diversity Section, challenged middle schoolers to write an essay and illustrate Dr. King’s quotation: “Life’s most…
DetailsThe Vermont Supreme Court is holding its annual “On the Road” series at Vermont Law and Graduate School (VLGS) on Tuesday, March 21, from 9 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. During the session, the Court will hear oral arguments in three cases in Room 109 in Oakes Hall on the VLGS campus. “We are excited to…
DetailsThe United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the American Inns of Court announce the solicitation of nominations for the Twenty-second Annual American Inns of Court Professionalism Award in the Second Circuit. This award went last year to Vermont’s own Bar Counsel, Mike Kennedy, Esq. Chief Judge Debra Ann Livingston of the…
DetailsThe Pre-Charge Judiciary Committee, a subcommittee of the Vermont Judiciary Commission on Mental Health and the Courts, is conducting a survey on the efficacy of pretrial services to divert those with serious mental illness from the judicial system. The survey will wrap up on March 10, 2023. The Committee is seeking input from first responders,…
DetailsThe 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,…
DetailsOn January 26, the Women’s Division of the VBA held its first in-person event since the pandemic. The event occurred at Halvorson’s in Burlington and featured the Hon. Justice Nancy Waples, who spoke on the importance of representation in the law. Justice Waples shared her personal story to becoming the first woman of color…
DetailsThe Vermont Judiciary Commission on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion was established to identify disparities in our justice system, understand the causes, evaluate solutions, and implement changes. The Commission’s work will address disparities amongst individuals involved in court proceedings as well as internal Judiciary practices, such as hiring, training, and retention. The Commission, which consists of…
DetailsThere 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…
DetailsJoint Committee on Judicial Retention AGENDA Room 30 and Zoom February 8, 2023 (See Full Judicial Retention 2023 Schedule HERE) Joint Committee on Judicial Retention AGENDA Room 30 and Zoom February 8, 2023 Last Updated 2/7/2023 12:52 PM Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are livestreamed at https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/shared-joint-committees. 4:30 PM First Meeting with…
DetailsOne of the main objectives for VBA president Andrew Manitsky during his tenure is to improve the atmosphere in which we all work. A first step is to get a reading on where Vermont attorneys think we are now in terms of civility and professionalism. The VBA is thus conducting a survey on civility and…
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