| Vermont Supreme Court | |
|---|---|
 Seal of the Vermont Supreme Court | |
 | |
| 44°15′42″N72°34′47″W / 44.26166°N 72.57975°W /44.26166; -72.57975 | |
| Established | 1782; 243 years ago (1782)[1] |
| Jurisdiction | Vermont |
| Location | Montpelier |
| Coordinates | 44°15′42″N72°34′47″W / 44.26166°N 72.57975°W /44.26166; -72.57975 |
| Authorised by | Vermont Constitution |
| Appeals to | Supreme Court of the United States |
| Number of positions | 5 |
| Website | Official website |
| Chief Justice | |
| Currently | Paul L. Reiber |
| Since | December 17, 2004 |
TheVermont Supreme Court is the highestjudicial authority of theU.S. state ofVermont. Unlike most other states, the Vermont Supreme Court hears appeals directly from the trial courts, as Vermont has no intermediate appeals court.
The court consists of achief justice and fourassociate justices; the court mostly hearsappeals of cases that have been decided by other courts. The justices are appointed by thegovernor of Vermont with confirmation by theVermont Senate. When a judicial vacancy occurs, thejudicial nominating board submits to the governor the names of as many persons as it deems qualified for appointment.[2] All justices come up forretention at the same time every six years. The next retention date is March 31, 2029.[3] The Joint Committee on Judicial Retention reviews a justice's performance during the previous term and recommends to theVermont General Assembly whether the justice should be retained. The committee consists of fourHouse members appointed by thespeaker of the House and four Senate members appointed by the Committee on Committees. After open debate and discussion, the General Assembly votes by secret ballot, with a majority having to vote against reappointment for a justice to be denied another term.[4]
In addition to the retention process, any Vermont judge may be removed at any time in one of two ways: (1) judges may be impeached by a two-thirds vote of the General Assembly and convicted by a two-thirds vote of the Senate, and (2) a Judicial Conduct Board investigates complaints of judicial misconduct or disability and recommends any necessary action to the Supreme Court.[5] Members of theJudiciary of Vermont must retire at the age of 90.[6]
The current chief justice isPaul L. Reiber. Reiber was appointed as an associate justice in October 2003 byJim Douglas and then sworn in as the chief justice of the court on December 17, 2004.[7]
The Vermont Supreme Court has overall administrative control of the court system and makes administrative and procedural rules for all courts.
The Vermont Supreme Court meets in a graniteBeaux Arts-style building inMontpelier, just east of theVermont State House and immediately west ofThe Pavilion Office Building.
The building site was the original site of the first Vermont State Building, a three-story wooden colonialGeorgian structure, built in 1808 by Sylvanus Baldwin.[8]
| Name | Born | Start | Term Ends | Appointer | Law School |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Reiber,Chief Justice | (1947-06-20)June 20, 1947 (age 78) | October 2003[a] | 2029 | Jim Douglas (R) | Suffolk |
| Harold Eaton Jr. | (1955-08-25)August 25, 1955 (age 70) | October 27, 2014 | 2029 | Peter Shumlin (D) | Vermont |
| William D. Cohen | (1957-01-21)January 21, 1957 (age 68) | December 20, 2019 | 2029 | Phil Scott (R) | Vermont |
| Nancy Waples | (1960-10-07)October 7, 1960 (age 65) | April 15, 2022 | 2029 | Phil Scott (R) | St. John's |
| Vacant | August 23, 2025 | 2029 | Phil Scott (R) |
| Vacator | Reason | Vacancy Date | Nominee | Nomination Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karen Carroll | Retirement | August 23, 2025[9] | Pending | TBD |
| William D. Cohen | December 27, 2025[10] | Pending | TBD |
The original constitution called for a "Council of Censors" which provided oversight for the court and its membership. The Council was abolished in 1870.[11]
Prominent individuals who have served as Chief Justice includeGovernor andUnited States SenatorMoses Robinson; SenatorNathaniel Chipman; Governor and SenatorIsaac Tichenor; Governor and SenatorJonathan Robinson; playwrightRoyall Tyler; GovernorRichard Skinner; SenatorDudley Chase; GovernorCornelius P. Van Ness; SenatorSamuel Prentiss; GovernorCharles K. Williams; GovernorStephen Royce;CongressmanLuke P. Poland; CongressmanHomer Royce; SenatorJonathan Ross; andU.S. District Court JudgeFranklin S. Billings Jr.
Olin M. Jeffords, the father of SenatorJames M. Jeffords, served as Chief Justice from 1955 to 1958.[12]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)| International | |
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