The Vermont Statutes Online
The Statutes below include the actions of the 2024 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.
Title 13 : Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Chapter 229 : Bail and Recognizances
(Cite as: 13 V.S.A. § 7556)-
§ 7556. Appeal from conditions of release
(a) A person who is detained, or whose release on a condition requiring him or her to return to custody after specified hours is continued, after review of his or her application pursuant to subsection 7554(d) or (e) of this title by a judicial officer, other than a judge of the court having original jurisdiction over the offense with which he or she is charged or a Justice of the Supreme Court, may move the court having original jurisdiction over the offense with which he or she is charged to amend the order. The motion shall be determined promptly.
(b) When a person is detained after a court denies a motion under subsection (a) of this section or when conditions of release have been imposed or amended by the judge of the court having original jurisdiction over the offense charged, an appeal may be taken to a single Justice of the Supreme Court who may hear the matter or at his or her discretion refer it to the entire Supreme Court for hearing. No further appeal may lie from the ruling of a single Justice in matters to which this subsection applies. Any order so appealed shall be affirmed if it is supported by the proceedings below. If the order is not supported, the Supreme Court or single Justice hearing the matter may remand the case for a further hearing or may, with or without additional evidence, order the person released. The appeal shall be determined forthwith.
(c) When a person is released, with or without bail or other conditions of release, an appeal may be taken by the State to a single Justice of the Supreme Court who may hear the matter or at his or her discretion refer it to the entire Supreme Court for hearing. No further appeal may lie from the ruling of a single Justice in matters to which this subsection applies. Any order so appealed shall be affirmed if it is supported by the proceedings below. If the order is not supported, the Supreme Court or single Justice hearing the matter may remand the case for a further hearing or may, with or without additional evidence, modify or vacate the order. The appeal shall be determined forthwith.
(d) A person held without bail under section 7553a of this title prior to trial shall be entitled to an independent, second evidentiary hearing on the merits of the denial of bail, which shall be a hearing de novo by a single Justice of the Supreme Court forthwith. Pursuant to 4 V.S.A. § 22 the Chief Justice may appoint and assign a retired justice or judge with his or her consent or a Superior judge or District judge to a special assignment on the Supreme Court to conduct that de novo hearing. Such hearing de novo shall be an entirely new evidentiary hearing without regard to the record compiled before the trial court; except, the parties may stipulate to the admission of portions of the trial court record.
(e) A person held without bail prior to trial shall be entitled to review of that determination by a panel of three Supreme Court Justices within seven business days after bail is denied. (Added 1967, No. 337 (Adj. Sess.), § 5; amended 1977, No. 235 (Adj. Sess.), § 7; 1981, No. 223 (Adj. Sess.), § 14; 1993, No. 143 (Adj. Sess.), § 5; 1995, No. 170 (Adj. Sess.), § 24b, eff. May 15, 1996; 2017, No. 11, § 31.)
