The Vermont Statutes Online
The Statutes below include the actions of the 2025 session of the General Assembly.
NOTE: The Vermont Statutes Online is an unofficial copy of the Vermont Statutes Annotated that is provided as a convenience.
Subchapter
001
:
SUPERIOR JUDGES
(Cite as: 4 V.S.A. § 73)
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§ 73. Assignment
(a) In accordance with the direction of the Supreme Court, the Chief Superior Judge shall
assign the Superior judges among the units and divisions of the Superior Court. The
Chief Superior Judge shall assign a presiding judge to each unit and may assign a
judge to preside in more than one unit. In a case where a Superior judge is disqualified
or unable to attend any term of court or part thereof to which the Superior Judge
has been assigned, the Chief Superior Judge may assign another Superior judge to act
as judge at that term or part thereof for that period during which the assigned judge
is disqualified or unable to attend. If during a term of the Superior Court the court
in a unit is unable to complete all or part of the work before it in a reasonable
time, the Chief Superior Judge, with the approval of the Supreme Court, may modify
judge assignments to reduce delays in that unit. The court shall publish the judicial
rotation schedule in electronic format and distribute it electronically to attorneys
licensed in Vermont.
(b) Pursuant to section 21a of this title, the Chief Superior Judge shall assign Superior judges to hear and determine Family
Court matters. The Chief Superior Judge shall ensure that such hearings are held promptly.
Any contested divorce case that has been pending for more than one year shall be advanced
for prompt hearing upon the request of any party.
(c) As necessary to ensure the efficient operation of the Superior Court, the presiding
judge of the unit may specially assign a Superior judge assigned to a division in
the unit, including the presiding judge, to preside over one or more cases in a different
division. As the Chief Superior Judge determines necessary for the operation of the
Superior Court throughout the State, and with the approval of the Supreme Court, the
Chief Superior Judge may additionally assign for a specified period of time a Superior
judge to preside over a particular type of case, or over a particular type of motion
or other judicial proceeding, in all or part of the units in the State. (Amended 1971, No. 185 (Adj. Sess.), § 9, eff. March 29, 1972; 1979, No. 181 (Adj. Sess.), § 5; 1981, No. 219 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; 1985, No. 63, § 3; 1999, No. 148 (Adj. Sess.), § 72, eff. May 24, 2000; 2009, No. 154 (Adj. Sess.), § 11; 2021, No. 147 (Adj. Sess.), § 13, eff. May 31, 2022.)