§ 7401. Appeal
In criminal actions or proceedings, the defendant may appeal to the Supreme Court
as of right all questions of law involved in any judgment of conviction and in any
other order or judgment as to which the State has appealed, provided that if the State
fails to perfect or prosecute such appeal, the appeal of the defendant shall not be
heard. (Amended 1973, No. 118, § 20, eff. Oct. 1, 1973; 1973, No. 193 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. April 9, 1974; 2009, No. 154 (Adj. Sess.), § 116.)
§ 7403. Appeal by the State
(a) In a prosecution for a misdemeanor, questions of law decided against the State shall
be allowed and placed upon the record before final judgment. The court may pass the
same to the Supreme Court before final judgment. The Supreme Court shall hear and
determine the questions and render final judgment thereon, or remand the cause for
further trial or other proceedings, as justice and the State of the cause may require.
(b) In a prosecution for a felony, the State shall be allowed to appeal to the Supreme
Court any decision, judgment, or order dismissing an indictment or information as
to one or more counts.
(c) In a prosecution for a felony, the State shall be allowed to appeal to the Supreme
Court from a decision or order:
(1) granting a motion to suppress evidence;
(2) granting a motion to have confessions declared inadmissible; or
(3) granting or refusing to grant other relief where the effect is to impede seriously,
although not to foreclose completely, continuation of the prosecution.
(d) In making this appeal, the attorney for the State must certify to the court that the
appeal is not taken for purpose of delay and that:
(1) the evidence suppressed or declared inadmissible is substantial proof of a fact material
in a proceeding; or
(2) the relief to be sought upon appeal is necessary to avoid seriously impeding such
proceeding.
(e) The appeal in all cases shall be taken within seven business days after the decision,
judgment, or order has been rendered. In cases where the defendant is detained for
lack of bail, the defendant shall be released pending the appeal upon such conditions
as the court shall order unless bail is denied as provided in the Vermont Constitution
or in other pending cases. Such appeals shall take precedence on the docket over all
cases and shall be assigned for hearing or argument at the earliest practicable date
and expedited in every way.
(f) For purposes of this section, “prosecution for a misdemeanor” and “prosecution for
a felony” shall include youthful offender proceedings filed pursuant to 33 V.S.A.
chapter 52A, and the State shall have the same right of appeal in those proceedings
as it has in criminal proceedings under this section. (Amended 1965, No. 194, § 10, eff. February 1, 1967; 1981, No. 223 (Adj. Sess.), § 13; 2009, No. 154 (Adj. Sess.), § 117; 2017, No. 11, § 30; 2023, No. 46, § 12, eff. June 5, 2023.)
§ 7405. Bail forfeited in Supreme Court
When a respondent forfeits his or her bail after conviction in a District or Superior
Court and after going at large upon bail for his or her appearance before the Supreme
Court, the Supreme Court shall render judgment that the bonds are forfeited, adjudge
that the respondent has waived his or her exceptions and order the cause to be remanded
to the court for sentence or such further proceedings as the law requires. (Amended 1965, No. 194, § 10, operative February 1, 1967; 1973, No. 193 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. April 9, 1974.)