Civil Division
Each of Vermont's 14 counties has a Superior Court made up of four separate divisions. The Civil Division is a trial court where civil matters such as breach of contract, eviction, foreclosure, personal injury, land disputes, medical malpractice and wrongful death cases are heard. Appeals from the Probate Division are also heard in the Civil Division. While the Civil Division is not designed for pro se litigants (people representing themselves in court cases), there is no rule against it. People appearing in the Civil Division are expected to be familiar with the Vermont Rules of Civil Procedure and with the Vermont Rules of Evidence. The geographic jurisdiction for the Civil Division is the county in which it is located.
The Civil Division also includes small claims cases, which are designed for people who don't have lawyers. In a small claims case, you can sue a person or business for up to $10,000. Consumer credit debt and medical debt are capped at $5,000 in small claims cases.
U.S. Passport applications are processed at some Civil Divisions throughout the state, although not all provide that service.
Most civil cases require parties to attempt mediation unless waived by the court. Mediation provides an opportunity for parties to meet with a neutral person to try to reach an agreement without court involvement.
If someone has sued or threatened to sue you because you owe them money, the VTLawHelp website provides information about:
- Bankruptcy
- Consumer rights
- Credit and credit reports
- Debt and debt collections
- Foreclosures
- Identity theft
- Repossession
- Taxes
You may also qualify for free or lower cost legal help.
Provides information about the eviction process for residential properties.
If a bank or other party starts a foreclosure case against you, talk to a lawyer right away.
Call Legal Services Vermont at 800-889-2047 or fill out the online form to see if you qualify for free or lower cost legal services.
Visit the VTLawHelp Foreclosure in Vermont web page for information about foreclosure. Their website also has information about:
- The foreclosure process.
- Foreclosure mediation.
- Special loans and situations.
- Other foreclosure help.
If you have been served with a summons and complaint in a foreclosure case, fill out the Verified Answer - Foreclosure Case form and file it with the court. Get a copy of your answer to the other party (or their attorney, if they have one) and fill out and file the Certificate of Service form to tell the court how you did that:
The VTLawHelp website provides consumer-related information including:
- Consumer rights
- Credit and credit reports
- Debt and debt collections
- Foreclosures
- Storage units
You can also see whether you qualify for free or reduced fee legal help.
The Consumer Assistance program (Office of Vermont Attorney General and University of Vermont) helps consumers and businesses.
If you have a legal dispute with someone who sold you something you may consider filing a small claims case. The Suing and Being Sued - Small Claims web page provides information about the small claims process.
The small claims process is simple, informal, and inexpensive. Lawyers are allowed, but many people represent themselves.
In a small claims case, you can sue a person or business for up to $10,000. Consumer credit debt and medical debt are capped at $5,000 in small claims cases.
If someone has stalked or sexually assaulted you or your minor children (under the age of 16), you can file a request in the Civil Division of the Superior Court for an order to protect you. The order can require the person stay away from you, your minor children, or both, and may make other orders necessary to protect you, your minor children, or both, from the person.
You can ask for an order against stalking or sexual assault from the Civil Division only if the other person is not a family member or someone you have ever lived with, and is not someone you have dated.
If the other person is a family member, is someone you have lived with, or is someone you have dated, you do not meet the requirements to ask for an order against stalking. You may qualify for a request for relief from abuse order, which is filed in the Family Division of the Superior Court. See the Relief from Abuse web page for more information about that process.
The process parties use to find out about the strengths and weaknesses of the other side's case is called discovery. Each side may send written requests to each other asking for specific information which may be relevant to the case.
The Office of Professional Regulation (OPR) is responsible for receiving applications and commissioning notaries public. Visit the Vermont Secretary of State's website for more information.
Responsibility for notaries public was transferred from county assistant judges to OPR pursuant to Act 160 of the 2017-2018 Legislative session.
Where to Get a Passport
In Person
Some, but not all, Vermont county courthouses process passport applications. Some post offices also process passport applications.
Online
You may also complete the passport application process at: https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports.html
ID and Fees
To get a passport, you will need:
- A certified copy of your birth certificate, which includes
- A raised seal
- A signature from the town clerk’s office
- The date the certificate was filed with the town clerk
- One passport photograph (some counties take passport photos), taken within the last six months
Use the fee calculator to figure out the cost of a passport.
For information on speeding up the process or for any other questions, please contact your county court.
Visa Extensions
The US Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) is responsible for visa extensions
Immigration and Naturalization Service
St. Albans Office
64 Gricebrook Road
St. Albans, VT 05478
The national customer service number for the INS is 1-800-375-5283.
A judgment in a civil case from a state other than Vermont is called a foreign judgment. For example, a judgment from a civil case in New Hampshire is a foreign judgment in Vermont.
Before collection efforts may be started against a debtor (the party the judgment is against) in Vermont, the foreign judgment must be registered in the Vermont courts. The process is also sometimes called “domesticating” the foreign judgment.
To register a foreign judgment, file these documents in the Civil Division of the Superior Court in the county in which the debtor lives or is located:
- A certified copy of the foreign judgment
- A Complaint asking to register the judgment.
- A Summons.
- Notice of Appearance for Self-Represented Litigant (if you are not represented by an attorney).
You may use the forms listed in the Forms section of this web page. The fee to file the request is $295.
The Complaint and Summons must be served on the debtor following Vermont Rule of Civil Procedure 4 (choose Vermont Court Rules from the box at the right, then scroll down to Rules of Civil Procedure).
There is a separate process to ask to register a foreign child custody order. See the Registering a Foreign Child Custody Order web page for information and forms.
An appeal of a decision of a Vermont governmental agency is a review by the state court of the agency’s decision. Some agency appeals are handled by the Vermont Superior Court. Others are handled by the Vermont Supreme Court.
The linked page focuses on appeals handled by the Civil Division of the Vermont Superior Court under Vermont Rule of Civil Procedure 74.
You can browse Civil Division opinions from 2002 - present in the Opinions and Decisions library.
Opinions are unofficial
The texts of civil division opinions are unofficial. They have been reformatted from the originals. The accuracy of the texts and any accompanying data is not guaranteed. This database is not exhaustive; it does not include all civil division opinions. At this time, no opinions from Vermont’s criminal and family divisions are included.
Caution
Take appropriate care to ensure that the opinions you read fit your purposes. You should also determine whether they have been reviewed by the Supreme Court.
To cite an opinion from the website
The following format is recommended for use in Vermont:
Fingerlakes Constr. Co., Inc. v. Fillmore Farms, LLC, No. 56-2-04 Bncv (Vt. Super. Ct. Aug. 3, 2005) (Carroll, J.), available at https://www.VermontJudiciary.org/TCDecisionCvl/2005-8-19-6.pdf
The Vermont Legislature sets most of the fees charged for services provided by the Judiciary. The Justices of the Supreme Court establish rules to govern the allowance of fees not specified by law. Motions or petitions filed by one party at one time shall be assessed one fee.
Not finding the Civil Division forms you're looking for?
Call or email the Access and Resource Center at 802-879-1185 or selfhelp@vtcourts.gov.
Orders Against Sexual Assault forms
Asking to Waive Fees
See the Application to Waive Filing Fees and Service Costs web page for information and forms.
Starting a Civil Case
If you are representing yourself:
Service Options
The plaintiff must serve a blank Answer and blank Notice of Appearance for Self-Represented Litigant on the defendant when the Summons and Complaint are served.
In foreclosure cases the plaintiff must use the Verified Answer - Foreclosure Case (form 100-00034) or a verified answer form substantially similar to form 100-00034.
Answer & Counterclaim
If you are representing yourself:
Motions
Discovery & Alternate Dispute Resolution
(The Scheduling and Mediation Order form used to be called Discovery - Alternative Dispute Resolution Stipulation)
Appeal
See the Appealing to the Supreme Court web page for information about the steps in the appeal process after the Notice of Appeal has been filed. See the Transcripts web page for information about ordering the required transcripts for the appeal.
Collecting a Judgment - Trustee Process (wage garnishment)
Collecting a Judgment - Trustee Process (non-wage garnishment)
Collecting a Judgment - Writ of Execution
Collecting a Judgment - Miscellaneous
Foreclosure
The plaintiff must serve a blank Verified Answer - Foreclosure Case (form 100-00034) (or a verified answer substantially similar to form 100-00034) and blank Notice of Appearance for Self-Represented Litigant (form 100-00265) on the defendant when the Summons and Complaint are served.
If you are representing yourself:
Post-Conviction Relief
Registering a Foreign Civil Judgment
- Certified copy of the foreign judgment
If you are representing yourself:
Updating Contact Information
Court Records
For Center for Crime Services Use
Miscellaneous