Vermont Legal Overview The highest court in Vermont is the Vermont Supreme Court, consisting of a chief justice and four associate justices appointed by the Governor for 6-year terms. The Superior Court has original jurisdiction over civil cases and appellate jurisdiction on appeals coming from the lower courts and administrative agencies. The district courts have original and general jurisdiction over criminal cases and limited jurisdiction over civil cases involving traffic and local ordinance violations. Vermont also has a separate family and probate court and an environmental court that two judges specially appointed to hear disputes regarding the state's environment law.
Top metro Vermont areas for Legal Issues:
1. Vermont abolished the death penalty in 1964. Cases originally filed in Vermont challenging federal law have produced landmark judgments. In Baker v. Vermont (Vt. 1999), the Vermont Supreme Court was among the first high courts to provide judicial affirmation for equal treatment of traditional and same-sex married couples. In Wyeth v. Levine (2009), the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that medication approved by a federal regulatory agency does not have immunity from liability under state laws. In Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. Natural Resources Defense Council (1978), they upheld the separation of powers of federal agencies and the courts. 2. Vermont is currently seeking immunity from a workers' overtime lawsuit. 3. An Addison, Vermont storyteller has confessed to securities in order to settle a civil legal claim brought against him.
Trending Vermont Legal Topics: The Vermont Bar Association (VBA) was established in 1878 as a voluntary organization. Even so, the VBA's membership has grown to over 2,000 members that includes a majority of the 2.270 odd lawyers licensed to practice law in the state of Vermont. Bar exam are administered by the Vermont Board of Bar Examiners (BBE), who also process the admission applications filed by lawyers. The VBA, Supreme Court and most of the administrative offices and agencies of the judiciary are based in Montpelier, VT. Some agencies and courts, such as the BBE and the Environmental Court, are based in Barre, VT. |