Vermont legislature planning to reorganize courts

April 30, 2010

Montpelier, Vermont: The Vermont legislature is considering a restructuring of the state court system in order to save an estimated $1 million.

The Senate Judiciary Committee has drafted a version of the measure which plans to unify the state's family, civil, criminal, environmental and probate courts into Superior Courts. The Supreme Court would have administrative control of these courts and judicial employees previously employed by their respective counties would be employed by the state.

Another proposed change would require counties, not the state, to pay assistant judges when they sit as side judges in trial cases. Also, probate judges would receive large salary decreases.