Vermont Judiciary Commission on the Delivery of Legal Services
In keeping with its authority under the Vermont Constitution to exercise administrative control of state courts, and in keeping with the Judiciary’s mission “to provide equal access to justice, protect individual rights, resolve legal disputes fairly and timely and provide everyone the opportunity to have their day in court”, the Vermont Supreme Court recognizes that there are currently unmet legal needs within the legal system. It has established the Commission on the Delivery of Legal Services to consider how to best address those needs.
As documented in the “2024 Vermont Statewide Legal Needs Assessment” prepared by Legal Services Vermont and Vermont Legal Aid, and as described in a “Report and Recommendations on Vermont Legal Deserts” prepared at the Court’s request in 2025, the Court acknowledges that many Vermonters face significant barriers in obtaining legal help, particularly in rural areas. These barriers stem from a range of factors, including but not limited to a shortage of attorneys, technological challenges to accessing courts and legal services, the geographic distance to access courts and legal services in rural areas coupled with inadequate public transportation, and challenges recruiting and retaining legal professionals in underserved areas.
Charge and Designation
In its Charge and Designation, the Commission is tasked with advancing recommendations to the Vermont Supreme Court in five broad areas: bar admission and attorney licensing processes as they relate to the challenges identified above; the lack of sites in rural areas where court users can connect to remote court hearings; the recruitment and retention of lawyers, particularly in underserved areas; efforts by the Vermont Bar Association to expand legal services to underserved Vermonters through such mechanisms as the incubator project, the law office study program and attorney-run legal clinics; and efforts by the Vermont Law & Graduate School to expand legal services to underserved Vermonters through its various legal clinics and exploring the development of educational courses supporting students who wish to ultimately practice in underserved areas.
The Court acknowledges and greatly appreciates the many legal service providers who strive day in and day out to provide access to justice to Vermonters seeking to navigate various legal and administrative systems. It hopes that the Commission’s efforts will also aid those providers in their important work.
The Commission will report to the Court annually beginning October 1, 2026 regarding a summary of its work for the year and any resulting recommendations but may also make specific recommendations to the Court at whatever juncture that the Commission deems appropriate.
Commission Members
Hon. Harold Eaton, Associate Justice and Commission Co-Chair
Michael Kennedy, Vermont Bar Counsel and Commission Co-Chair
Chief Justice Paul Reiber
Associate Justice William Cohen
Associate Justice Nancy Waples
Associate Justice (to be named when appointed)
Chief Superior Judge Thomas Zonay
State Court Administrator Teri Corsones
Superior Court Judge Benjamin Battles
Chief of Trial Court Operations Laurie Canty
Representative of the Vermont Bar Association Joshua Diamond
Dean of the Vermont Law & Graduate School Beth McCormack
Vermont Attorney General Designee Christopher Curtis
Vermont Defender General Matthew Valerio
Exec. Director of the Dep’t of State’s Attorneys & Sheriffs Tim Lueders-Dumont
Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee Senator Nader Hashim
Chair of the House Judiciary Committee Representative Martin LaLonde
Executive Director of Legal Services Vermont Samuel Abel-Palmer
Chair of the Board of Bar Examiners Patricia Turley
Vermont Licensing Counsel Andrew Strauss
President of the Vermont Paralegals Association Carie Tarte