State of Vermont
JUDICIAL STATISTICS

The annual statistical report for the Vermont Judiciary presents information about the flow of cases in Vermont's courts: the Supreme Court, Superior Courts, District Courts, Family Courts, Vermont Traffic and Municipal Ordinance Bureau, Environmental Court and Probate Courts.

The most significant change in FY1997 caseloads was a 14.1% increase in felony filings and a 16.5% increase in the number of pending felony cases. Substantial increases in the number of traffic and municipal ordinance complaints filed at the Vermont Traffic and Municipal Ordinance Bureau were reported. There were small increases in misdemeanor filings in District Court , interstate child support cases in Family Court, civil complaints in Superior Court, decedent estate filings in Probate Court and new cases at the Environmental Court. Child support filings remained unchanged. All other dockets showed decreased filings.

The summary table compares the case filings and end-of-year pending caseload this year and last in each court.

There were several changes in jurisdiction during FY1997. Small claims cases, previously heard in the District Court, were transferred to the Superior Court. The scope of the Vermont Traffic and Municipal Ordinance Bureau was expanded to include minor fish and game violations formerly heard in the District Court. (A chart describing Vermont's court structure appears here.)

Highlights of the report include:

Supreme Court

Superior Court

There were more cases disposed in FY1997- 17,468 - than during FY1996 (16,875). Disposition of civil complaints increased by 4.4% and there were 4.2% more small claims cases disposed. Appeals dispositions fell by twenty percent.

The number of cases pending at the end of the year decreased to 7,325, a 13 year low; the greatest reduction was seen in the small claims docket (12.3%).

District Court

However, the criminal docket grew by four percent in FY1997 and, most significantly, felony cases increased by 14.1 percent, with 3,435 cases added compared to 3,010 in FY1996. Only five courts - Caledonia, Essex, Franklin, Orange and Windsor - reported fewer felonies during FY1997. Misdemeanor filings also increased although to a lesser degree. There were 17,638 cases closed, compared to 16,501 in FY1996, a seven percent gain. Due to a sharp rise in filings during the last quarter of the year, the pending caseload increased by 5%, to 9,119.

There were also decreases in Civil Suspension, Uniform Traffic Ticket, Traffic Appeal and Fish and Wildlife, Snowmobile and Boating case filings.

Vermont Traffic Bureau

Municipal ordinance violation filings grew by 20 percent, from 1,394 during FY1996 to 1,670 in FY1997. A forty one percent increase in dispositions reduced the pending caseload to 257 cases.

FY1997 was the first year for which Fish and Game violation filings were available. There were 274 complaints filed and 207 were disposed.

Family Court

Divorce and Annulment, Child Support Establishment and Enforcement and Interstate Child Support Enforcement (U.R.E.S.A.) filings remained at FY1996 levels. Changes in the pending caseload in these dockets ranged from a 9% decrease (Child Support) to an 11% increase (U.R.E.S.A.).

There were fewer Parentage, Post Judgment - Non Child Support, Juvenile, Mental Health and Relief from Domestic Abuse filings. As a result, the pending caseload was smaller in these dockets at the end of FY1997; the reductions ranged from 2.2% (Juvenile) to 30.7% (Mental Health).

Environmental Court

The Environmental Court docket grew by 30 cases in FY1997, with 243 new filings, compared to 213 cases added in FY1996. Two hundred twenty seven cases were disposed, leaving a pending caseload of 109 at the end of the year.

Probate Court