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.
(Cite as: 13 V.S.A. § 1377)
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§ 1377. Abuse by unlawful restraint and unlawful confinement
(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, no person shall knowingly or
recklessly:
(1) cause or threaten to cause unnecessary or unlawful confinement or unnecessary or unlawful
restraint of a vulnerable adult; or
(2) administer or threaten to administer a drug, a substance, or electroconvulsive therapy
to a vulnerable adult.
(b) This section shall not apply if the confinement, restraint, administration, or threat
is:
(1) part of a legitimate and lawful medical or therapeutic treatment; or
(2) lawful and reasonably necessary to protect the safety of the vulnerable adult or others,
provided that less intrusive alternatives have been attempted if doing so would be
reasonable under the circumstances.
(c) A person who violates this section shall:
(1) be imprisoned not more than two years or fined not more than $10,000.00, or both.
(2) if the violation causes bodily injury, be imprisoned not more than three years or
fined not more than $10,000.00, or both.
(3) if the violation causes serious bodily injury, be imprisoned not more than 15 years
or fined not more than $10,000.00, or both. (Added 2005, No. 79, § 2.)