COURT ADMINISTRATION

Lee Suskin, Court Administrator
Hon. Amy M. Davenport, Administrative Judge

• The Office of the Court Administrator has overall responsibility for the management of Vermont's trial, probate and environmental courts as well as the Vermont Judicial Bureau.
• The administrative judge assigns judges among the trial courts, investigates and resolves complaints about the operation of the trial courts, resolves scheduling conflicts of trial attorneys and oversees judicial education.
• Boards and committees established by the Supreme Court perform other administrative functions.

Office of the Court Administrator

The Office of the Court Administrator provides administrative staff support to the Supreme Court to assist in the overall management of the court system and to ensure that judges have the resources and trained support staff that are needed in order to resolve the disputes that come to the courts. The Office monitors the operation of the Judiciary and works to improve its operation through: long-term planning; identifying and analyzing workload trends; identifying, obtaining and allocating needed resources; and identifying the need for and then implementing new procedures, rules and legislation.

The Division of Administrative Services manages the Judiciary's budget, including the tracking of expenditures and the identification of long-term trends and needs. It is responsible for the recruitment, hiring, pay and discipline of all state-funded court employees, except Superior Court Clerks and administers the Judicial Branch Personnel Policy. The Division identifies the facility needs of the Judiciary and works on the design of new and renovated courthouses to meet those needs. Review of court facilities to improve court security is another function of the Division.

The Division of Court Operations supervises the operation of the District and Family Courts and provides support to the operation of the Superior Courts. In addition, the Division analyzes legislation related to the judiciary; investigates complaints; works to ensure that the goals and standards for the operation of the judiciary and performance of staff are being met; analyzes, summarizes and disseminates management information to help court personnel and the public to monitor the accomplishment of court objectives; works with various court staff and external agencies to address issues affecting the legal system.

The Division of Judicial Education provides continuous and career-long development of judicial officers and employees through its orientation and mentor programs, attendance at national programs, and regular in-state programs.  The division is responsible for the planning and coordination of the annual week-long, residential Judicial College which offers judges a theme-based program on such topics as new developments in the law, communication, and mental health issues.  The division is also responsible for the annual week-long, residential Court Managers' College.  The Court Managers' College updates managers on managerial theories, approaches and practices, often revolving around a central theme.  Members of this division staff the Judicial Branch Education Committee and its numerous subcommittees, seek grant funding to further enhance educational opportunities, and provide judicial officers and employees with ongoing information about educational topics, events and programs.  The efforts of the division are aimed at enhancing the personal and professional development of all judicial officers and employees.

The Division of Research and Information Services provides computer services to the courts and provides statistics and other management information to the Justices, Judges and other court managers. It identifies activities of the Judiciary that would be enhanced or could be performed more efficiently with the assistance of computers, develops software programs to meet those needs and creates training materials so that judges and court staff will use computers effectively. The Division develops and implements a strategic plan for technology. It identifies, purchases and maintains the computer hardware that will run the software.

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Court Boards and Rules Committees

There are Boards and Committees established by the Supreme Court to assist in the admission and discipline of attorneys, to respond to complaints of judicial misconduct, to advise the Court on procedural rule changes and advisory committees on many of the current issues affecting the administration and operation of the courts.