Supreme Court

The Vermont Supreme Court performs five basic functions:

• Hears final appeals from all cases originating in state courts and from certain administrative agency proceedings
• Establishes rules of civil, criminal, family and appellate procedure
• Administers the court system
• Admits attorneys to practice
• Serves as the disciplinary authority for all judicial officers and attorneys

The Supreme Court has appellate jurisdiction. Appellate jurisdiction is the power to review decisions made by lower courts. Two common types of error claimed in appeals are:

1. That the lower court did not follow correct procedure, or
2. That the law was applied incorrectly to the facts of the case.

The Supreme Court does not review the facts but clarifies questions of law as applied to the facts. Once the Supreme Court has reviewed the case and given its decision, no further appeal can be made within the state court system. In special types of cases, the Supreme Court has original or exclusive jurisdiction. The case is brought directly to the Supreme Court without having to be heard first in one of the lower courts.

The Vermont Supreme Court consists of the Chief Justice and four Associate Justices. Law clerks perform the legal research necessary to help the justices reach well-informed decisions. The Clerk of the Supreme Court and the Clerk's Staff are responsible for the daily operations of the Court.