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1 day ago

Deputy State’s Attorney urges narrow competency-restoration pathway, proposing forensic placement after insanity verdicts Deputy State’s Attorney Jared Bianchi told the Judiciary committee that S.193 would create a limited forensic pathway and periodic review schedule for people adjudicated insane or found not competent in life-offense cases, addressing a gap that leaves some defendants held pretrial or released without structured restoration.

Deputy State’s Attorney Jared Bianchi is advocating for a crucial legislative change to establish a competency-restoration pathway that could reshape the future for defendants found insane in Vermont's judicial system.

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5 days ago

Committee reports S.179 and S.183, advancing a uniform disclaimer bill and correcting home‑improvement fraud language On April 7 the Judiciary Committee advanced S.179 (Uniform Disclaimer of Property Interests Act) to Ways and Means and reported S.183 (fixing language found unconstitutional in earlier rulings on home‑improvement fraud) out of committee after limited discussion.

The Judiciary Committee just pushed forward two crucial bills aimed at reforming property laws and correcting legal language on home-improvement fraud—changes that could impact many Vermonters!

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#VT #PropertyLaw #VermontJudiciary #LegislativeReform #FraudPrevention

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5 days ago

Committee delays S.203 after judges’ differing readings of the DUI 20‑year predicate Committee members held S.203 for more testimony on April 7 after witnesses and two judges were reported to interpret the 20‑year DUI predicate differently; members asked staff to bring Eric Fitzpatrick and other witnesses to clarify whether the statute should use conviction or offense dates.

The Judiciary Committee is hitting pause on S.203 after judges clash over how to measure prior DUI convictions—will clarity win out?

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#VT #VermontJudiciary #CitizenPortal #PolicyDebate #DUIReform #LegalClarity

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5 days ago

Committee advances amendment to S.181 clarifying judges' discretion over pre-sentence investigations The Judiciary Committee approved a committee amendment to S.181 on April 7 that clarifies judges may order pre-sentence investigations even if parties ask to waive them, while leaving discretion for parties and judges; the bill was advanced as amended.

The Judiciary Committee just advanced a crucial amendment to S.181, giving judges the power to require pre-sentence investigations even if both parties agree to waive them—what does this mean for our judicial system?

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1 week ago

Defender General urges removing mandatory PSI for deferred sentences, citing delays and case resolvability At a House Judiciary Committee hearing, Defender General Matt Valerio supported S.181, saying it would remove the absolute requirement for pre-sentence investigations in many deferred-sentence cases and speed resolutions, while members questioned PSI delays and victim participation.

Defender General Matt Valerio argues that a new bill could speed up court resolutions by removing the mandatory pre-sentence investigation, but will it really benefit victims and justice?

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1 month ago

Defender General urges clarity on 20-year DWI window as committee weighs counting incident vs. conviction At a Feb. 25 Senate Judiciary hearing, the Defender General told the committee the proposed change to how a 20-year DWI recidivism window is measured raises practical questions: counting from the incident date may be fairer to defendants but harder to verify than conviction-to-conviction counting, which is easier for prosecutors to use.

The debate heats up in Vermont as the Senate Judiciary Committee weighs whether the 20-year DWI recidivism window should start from the incident or the conviction, raising critical questions about fairness and practicality.

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1 month ago

Senate Judiciary discusses S186 juvenile plea issues, refers bill to staff working group for drafting During the Feb. 25 Senate Judiciary hearing, members discussed S186 (juvenile plea/agreement handling). Committee members expressed concern about combining unrelated dockets and asked staff to draft a 'nexus-of-conduct' amendment and to route the bill through a working group for further review.

The Senate Judiciary committee is grappling with crucial amendments to Bill S186, aiming to refine juvenile plea agreements while addressing concerns about unrelated cases being bundled together.

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1 month ago

Judiciary asks for $82.9 million in FY27 budget, seeks higher sheriff pay and new trainers to reduce backlog The judiciary told the Senate Appropriations Committee on Feb. 20 it is seeking a 5.6% FY27 increase to $82.9 million, funding for one help‑desk analyst, statewide trainers, conversion of limited‑service positions and a sheriff contract-rate increase the Sheriffs Association is requesting.

The Vermont judiciary is pushing for an $82.9 million budget to tackle case backlogs, improve court security, and enhance support staff—will the Senate approve this crucial funding?

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1 month ago

Judiciary committee reviews S.193 changes to create narrow forensic facility, debates custody and treatment limits On Feb. 19 the Judiciary committee heard testimony on S.193, which would create a narrowly defined forensic facility and a statewide contracting approach for competency evaluations; witnesses debated who would oversee facilities, how records and contracts would be managed, and constitutional limits on holding people found not guilty by reason of insanity.

The Judiciary committee is diving deep into the controversial S.193 bill, aimed at redefining how we handle competency evaluations and forensic care for those found not guilty by reason of insanity.

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1 month ago

House Judiciary Committee debates how to prioritize judiciary budget requests Committee members reviewed a tiered prioritization for judiciary-related budget requests and asked staff to return with clarifications on vacancy savings, limited-service positions, funding sources for victim services, and a proposed sheriff security-rate increase before making formal recommendations.

The House Judiciary Committee is facing tough choices that could impact court funding and vital services for victims—will they prioritize stability over cuts?

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#VT #VermontJudiciary #LegalAidFunding #CitizenPortal #PublicSafety #BudgetPrioritization

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1 month ago

State's Attorneys and Sheriffs press lawmakers for budget fixes as caseloads rise At a Feb. 13 House Judiciary Committee hearing, Department of State's Attorneys and Sheriffs presenter Tim Leers warned of rising caseloads, transport overtime and expert witness costs, asking legislators to eliminate vacancy savings and boost operating funds to sustain prosecutions and victim services.

Vermont's Department of State's Attorneys and Sheriffs is sounding the alarm on a staggering 22,000 pending cases, urging lawmakers to take immediate action to avert staffing cuts and preserve vital services.

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1 month ago

Judiciary committee questions pretrial supervision pilot, DOC role and eligibility rules Prosecutors and a chief superior judge told the Judiciary committee the state’s pretrial supervision pilot needs clearer targeting, more DOC resources for intensive monitoring, and reconsideration of the five‑docket eligibility rule; witnesses said supervision cannot replace court hearings or unilateral prosecutorial action.

Vermont's Judiciary Committee is wrestling with how to revamp the controversial pretrial supervision pilot, as calls grow for clearer eligibility rules and more resources from the Department of Corrections.

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1 month ago

House Judiciary Committee debates H.741, which would require warrants after failures to appear The House Judiciary Committee reviewed H.741, a bill that would require courts to issue arrest warrants (rather than a second citation) when defendants fail to appear. Law‑enforcement backers said the change would curb repeat no‑shows and reoffending; judges and defenders warned it would remove judicial discretion and risk jailing vulnerable people.

The House Judiciary Committee is debating a controversial bill that could transform how courts handle defendants who fail to appear, raising concerns over judicial discretion and the potential impact on vulnerable individuals.

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1 month ago

Senate Judiciary hears testimony on S.193 to create forensic competency-restoration pathway for small number of serious cases State's attorneys and a judge described S.193 as a narrowly tailored bill to provide competency restoration and placements in secure forensic facilities for a small subset of life-offense cases; the committee deferred votes and asked for edits and additional stakeholder input.

A new bill in Vermont aims to create a forensic competency-restoration pathway for serious offenders, but what does this mean for the future of justice?

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#VT #VermontJudiciary #CitizenPortal #ForensicReform #CompetencyRestoration #CriminalJustice

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2 months ago

Judiciary asks for help-desk, training staff and conversion of temporary court positions in FY27 budget The Vermont Judiciary told the House Judiciary Committee Feb. 10 it seeks to convert 26 limited-service positions to permanent status and add operational staff — a help-desk analyst and statewide training roles — to address turnover, remote-hearing support and court backlog pressures.

The Vermont Judiciary is pushing for crucial operational changes in their FY27 budget, aiming to convert temporary positions to permanent and enhance support staff to tackle rising court demands and turnover.

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2 months ago

Judge warns H 628 could expand protection orders to require defendants to keep paying household bills At a House Judiciary hearing on H 628, Chief Superior Judge Tom Zoney told lawmakers that adding a subsection letting courts order defendants to continue paying household bills could broaden orders of protection beyond their summary-protection purpose and urged clearer drafting, including a fixed time limit.

A proposed bill could redefine court-ordered protection by compelling defendants to keep paying household bills, raising crucial questions about financial responsibility and legal implications.

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#VT #VermontJudiciary #LegalReform #CourtOrderClarity #CitizenPortal

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2 months ago

Judiciary asks for roughly $82 million in FY27, highlights IT, help-desk and training needs State court leaders told the House Appropriations Committee on Feb. 3 they are seeking about $82 million for FY27, pointing to IT cost increases, help-desk staffing needs, training positions and a temporary request to continue a mental-health/courts coordinator funded by a delayed federal grant.

The Vermont judiciary is requesting nearly $82 million for FY27 to tackle rising IT costs, help-desk demands, and vital training positions, highlighting the urgent need for support.

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#VT #ITCosts #VermontJudiciary #CitizenPortal #EmployeeRetention #MentalHealthServices

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2 months ago

Senate Judiciary debates wording, timing for SR21 resolution on ICE 'Operation Metro' Committee members discussed SR21, a resolution addressing ICE and 'Operation Metro.' Senators debated whether to add stronger language ('based on initial and substantial evidence') and whether to include additional named victims; members favored quickly circulating final text and possibly voting the same day.

The Vermont Senate Judiciary is debating a critical resolution on ICE's 'Operation Metro' and the urgent need for clarity on victim counts—will they take a stand before it's too late?

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#VT #CivicAccountability #VermontJudiciary #ImmigrationReform #HumanRights #CitizenPortal

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2 months ago

Committee agrees to strike disputed affidavit language after prosecutors warn of overnight burden At a Judiciary Committee hearing on proposed judicial-rule changes (H.744), deputy prosecutors warned that language requiring overnight charging input could increase detainee holding times and strain already thin staffing; the committee agreed to remove one inaccurate sentence and refer remaining changes to the criminal rules committee.

Prosecutors in Vermont are sounding the alarm over proposed judicial-rule changes that could force them to work overnight, risking burnout and longer detentions for detainees.

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#VT #VermontJudiciary #LegalReform #CitizenPortal #WorkplaceWellbeing #CriminalJustice

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2 months ago

Committee reviews H.566 to switch post‑charge diversion expungement to sealing, debates adding municipal offenses Legislative counsel and witnesses briefed the Judiciary Committee on H.566, which would change automatic expungement of post‑charge diversion records to automatic sealing and would extend the process to qualifying criminal municipal ordinances; members expressed concerns about prosecutorial discretion and the municipal addition.

The Judiciary Committee is debating a pivotal bill that would shift the automatic expungement of post-charge diversion records to sealing, raising questions about its implications for justice and access to records.

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2 months ago

Judiciary committee advances bill tightening penalties for nonconsensual image disclosure after debate on penalty level The Judiciary committee voted to advance H626 (strike‑all, draft 3.2), which targets nonconsensual disclosure of intimate images and includes an extortion enhancement. Lawmakers debated whether the offense should be a three‑year misdemeanor or a three‑year felony and agreed to move the bill forward while deferring broader penalty reform.

The Judiciary committee in Vermont has taken a crucial step forward by advancing a bill aimed at criminalizing the nonconsensual disclosure of intimate images, sparking intense debate over penalties.

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#VT #VermontJudiciary #CriminalLawReform #YouthJustice #PrivacyProtection

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2 months ago

Senate confirms Colin O'Yang as superior court judge in unanimous roll call The Vermont Senate confirmed Colin O'Yang as a superior court judge by a 30-0 roll call after a lengthy nomination speech highlighting his varied legal and public-service background; the appointment covers Oct. 6, 2025, through March 31, 2031.

Colin O'Yang has been appointed as a superior court judge with a unanimous vote, showcasing his impressive legal journey and commitment to public service.

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2 months ago

Senate Judiciary to send two Supreme Court nominees to full Senate with no positive recommendation After divided committee votes on Jan. 29, the Senate Judiciary committee agreed to report Christina Nolan and Michael Dresser to the full Senate without a positive recommendation, following debate over a courthouse firearm incident tied to Nolan and immigration-related cases tied to Dresser.

The Senate Judiciary committee has sent two controversial nominees for the Vermont Supreme Court to the full Senate, sparking debate over their pasts and qualifications.

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#VT #PublicTrust #VermontJudiciary #ImmigrationIssues #CitizenPortal #JudicialAppointments

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2 months ago

Witnesses to Judiciary committee urge clearer court pathway to revoke orders of nonhospitalization Witnesses told the Judiciary committee that designated agencies face a bottleneck when attempting to have orders of nonhospitalization (ONH) revoked: agencies file revocation requests to the Department of Mental Health, which often delays or declines to petition courts, leaving people and communities at risk and prompting calls to clarify statutory authority.

Witnesses are urging the Judiciary committee to address critical delays in the process of revoking orders of nonhospitalization, leaving communities at risk.

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#VT #MentalHealthReform #VermontJudiciary #PublicSafety #CitizenPortal #CivicAccountability

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2 months ago

Senate Judiciary reviews H.410 to tighten recidivism definition and reporting At a January Senate Judiciary meeting, Legislative Council and counsel debated H.410's proposed new recidivism definitions and calculation rules, focusing on unclear timing language, whether to count rearrests and probation/parole returns, and the data burden on DOC and other agencies.

Senate Judiciary is diving deep into H.410, aiming to redefine recidivism metrics—could this reshape how we view criminal justice in Vermont?

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2 months ago

Committee reviews H.409 amendment to let prosecutors appeal denied bail‑revocation requests to Supreme Court The House Judiciary Committee considered an amendment to H.409 that would allow the State to appeal trial‑court denials of bail‑revocation requests to the Supreme Court and update statutory cross‑references from expungement to sealing; members raised questions about NCIC policy, a $200 misdemeanor cap and how single‑justice reviews would operate.

The House Judiciary Committee is proposing a game-changing amendment that would allow prosecutors to appeal denied bail-revocation requests directly to the Supreme Court.

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#VT #VermontJudiciary #CriminalJustice #BailReform #CitizenPortal #LegalProcedure

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2 months ago

Vermont Supreme Court nominee says gun found in her bag was an inadvertent mistake, recounts diversion and safety training At a Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing, the first nominee acknowledged a past courthouse security incident in which a firearm was detected in her bag, said she completed a pre-charge diversion program and gun-safety training, and defended her mixed prosecutorial and defense experience as preparation for the bench.

A Vermont Supreme Court nominee took responsibility for a past courthouse security incident involving a firearm and emphasized her commitment to accountability and individualized justice.

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#VT #IndividualizedJustice #VermontJudiciary #JudicialAccountability #PublicSafety

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2 months ago

House Judiciary Committee advances H.409 that clarifies bail-appeal process and substitutes 'sealing' for 'expungement' The House Judiciary committee reviewed H.409 (draft 3.1), which replaces the word “expungement” with “sealing,” clarifies when the state may appeal bail-revocation orders and distinguishes de novo single-justice appeals under 75 53(a) from ordinary appellate review; the committee moved the strike-all amendment but a recorded vote was not captured before recess.

The House Judiciary Committee is shaking up the bail-appeal process by replacing "expungement" with "sealing" and clarifying how appeals will work—find out what this means for Vermont's legal landscape!

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2 months ago

House amends bill to add affirmation option in oaths; third reading ordered The Vermont House adopted the Judiciary Committee’s amendment to H.28, which adds an explicit affirmation option across Titles 1–10 of the Vermont Statutes and delays the bill’s effective date to Jan. 1, 2027; third reading was ordered after a voice vote.

The Vermont House has taken a significant step by amending H.28 to explicitly include affirmation options in oaths across multiple titles, delaying its effective date to 2027.

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2 months ago

House Judiciary Committee approves amendment to H 28 to explicitly allow ‘swear or affirm,’ sets Jan. 1, 2027 effective date The House Judiciary Committee voted to approve an amendment to H 28 that inserts explicit 'swear or affirm' language into statutes and sets the bill to take effect Jan. 1, 2027; supporters said the change codifies current practice, while members stressed preserving the option to swear.

The House Judiciary Committee has officially approved a significant amendment to H 28, allowing witnesses the choice to "swear or affirm" as the law evolves towards 2027.

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#VT #PublicTrust #VermontJudiciary #CitizenPortal #LegislativeProcess #CivicAccountability