Vt. Memo to the Bar, Apr. 9, 2019

SUPREME COURT OF VERMONT

OFFICE OF THE COURT ADMINISTRATOR

PATRICIA GABEL, ESQ. Mailing Address

State Court Administrator Office of the Court Administrator

patricia.gabel@vermont.gov 109 State Street

Montpelier, VT 05609-0701

Telephone (802) 828-3278

FAX: 802 828-3457

www.vermontjudiciary.org

TO: Members of the Vermont Bar

FROM: Patricia Gabel, Esq., State Court Administrator

RE: Proposed Rule Amendment, and Miscellaneous Information

DATE: April 9, 2019

For your information, please find the following information:

• Proposed Order Abrogating Administrative Order No. 10 and Promulgating the Vermont

Code of Judicial Conduct 2019

• Updated Court Forms

• Obligations Under A.O. 41

• eCabinet Registration

I. PROPOSED RULE AMENDMENTS

(NOTE: THE FOLLOWING AMENDMENTS HAVE BEEN PROPOSED AND HAVE NOT

BEEN APPROVED BY THE SUPREME COURT.)

a. Proposed Order Abrogating Administrative Order No. 10 and Promulgating the Vermont

Code of Judicial Conduct 2019

.

The proposed Vermont Code of Judicial Conduct 2019 (hereinafter Vermont Code 2019)

replaces and significantly changes the Vermont Code of Judicial Conduct promulgated by the

Vermont Supreme Court in 1994 as Administrative Order No. 10 and subsequently amended

(hereinafter Vermont Code 1994).

Proposed Vermont Code 2019 adopts the format and substantive provisions of ABA

Code 2007, with necessary or appropriate Vermont variations. The purpose is to

assure that Vermont judges will continue to be governed by principles of conduct that

are substantially uniform with those applicable in other jurisdictions. While much of

the substance of the former Code remains in effect, the revisions also clarify and

expand many provisions in light of problems in application or changing conditions.

Comments on these proposed amendments should be sent by June 10, 2019, to Allan Keyes,

Chair of the Civil Rules Advisory Committee, at the following address:

Allan Keyes, Esq., Chair

Civil Advisory Rules Committee

Ryan Smith & Carbine, Ltd.

P.O. Box 310

Rutland, VT 05702 0310

ark@rsclaw.com

II. MISCELLANEOUS

a. Court Forms

Court forms are constantly being updated. Please refer to the judiciary website for the most

up-to-date forms. https://www.vermontjudiciary.org/court-forms

b. Obligation under A.O. 41

Attorneys are reminded that an “attorney must report to the State Court Administrator within

thirty days any change of the office mailing or electronic mail address” and that “[n]otice sent to a

reported address is sufficient even if not received by the attorney because of failure to report the

proper address or failure of delivery not caused by the court.” A.O. 41, § 4(c); see A.O. 44, § 1.

Please email those changes to JUD.AttyLicensing@vermont.gov. Your cooperation is very

much appreciated.

To ensure you continue to receive these emails, please add JUD.AttyLicensing@vermont.gov

to your Safe Senders list.

c. eCabinet Registration

Administrative Order No. 44 requires attorneys in active status to register up to three email

addresses in eCabinet for purposes of receiving notices of hearing and other documents. You

may include staff email addresses in the three email addresses that you specify. eCabinet

registration is required whether you practice in court or not.

If you have already registered in eCabinet, the email address(es) you provided as part of that

process will be used.

If you have not already registered in eCabinet, please go to

https://efiling.eservices.crt.state.vt.us/, click Register Now, and follow the simple prompts.

Attorneys will need their attorney license numbers to register. Helpful information about the

Attorney Email Registration process is also available on the Electronic Filing page of the

judiciary website at https://www.vermontjudiciary.org/about-vermont-judiciary/electronic-

access/electronic-filing. Please contact jud.helpdesk@vermont.gov or call the Helpdesk at 802-

828-4357 with any questions in the meantime.

You are also reminded that you are required to update the email address(es) and other contact

information you have registered as soon as there are any changes, including changes to staff

email addresses you may have included with your registration. To revise the information, please

go to https://efiling.eservices.crt.state.vt.us/, log into eCabinet, click “Account,” choose “My

Profile,” and make the necessary changes to your contact information.

Notification to JUD.AttyLicensing@vermont.gov or in eCabinet of a change to your contact

information does not automatically notify the other. It is your responsibility to notify both. If you

are a member of the Vermont Bar Association, you will also need to separately notify the VBA.