Vt. Sup. Ct. Promulgation Order of Aug. 18, 2026: VREF7(a)(7)and VRAP32(a)(1)(E)

STATE OF VERMONT

VERMONT SUPREME COURT

AUGUST TERM, 2026

Order Promulgating Amendments to Rule 7(a)(7) of the

2020 Vermont Rules for Electronic Filing, and

Rule 32(a)(1)(E) of the Vermont Rules of Appellate Procedure

Pursuant to the Vermont Constitution, Chapter II, § 37, and 12 V.S.A. § 1, it is hereby ordered:

1. That Rule 7(a)(7) of the 2020 Vermont Rules for Electronic Filing be amended as follows

(new matter underlined; deleted struck through):

RULE 7. FORMAT OF DOCUMENTS

(a) Format Requirements for Electronic Documents. An electronically filed document must:

(1) be created, saved as, or converted to, PDF format as specified in (b), unless the court

orders that it be filed in a different format;

(2) comply with the size limit specified in the efiling instructions;

(3) not contain a virus detected by the electronic filing system;

(4) be consistent with Rule 5(g) and (h), if applicable;

(5) be accompanied by a certification of compliance with the Rules for Public Access to

Court Records by the method specified in these rules;

(6) not contain any password protection or other security device, and

(7) not contain any external embedded live hyperlink or internal bookmark.

Reporter’s Notes—2027 Amendment

Rule 7(a)(7) is amended in conjunction with a simultaneous

amendment to Vermont Rule of Appellate Procedure 32(a)(1)(E) to

update the format requirements for electronic documents based on

technical changes to the electronic filing system. Paragraph (a)(7)

previously precluded electronically filed documents from

containing embedded hyperlinks or internal bookmarks because

these caused format errors that prevented documents from being

properly processed. Due to system changes, it is now permissible

to include internal links, which point to other places within the

same document. For example, a link in the table of contents to that

part of the document. Therefore, the restriction against including

these internal links is deleted. The language of the rest of the rule

is clarified to indicate that external live links to other documents or

websites are still not permitted. According to the vendor, these

links can result in format errors. A document can contain the text

of a web address, but the link must not be live.

2. That Rule 32(a)(1)(E) of the Vermont Rules of Appellate Procedure be amended as follows

(new matter underlined; deleted struck through):

RULE 32. FORM OF BRIEFS, MOTIONS, AND OTHER DOCUMENTS

(a) Form of Briefs.

(1) Form of Electronically Filed Briefs. A brief filed electronically must comply with the

following:

(A) File Type. Be in text-searchable PDF in accordance with 2020 V.R.E.F. 7(a) and

(b);

(B) Margins. Have margins of not less than one inch;

(C) Page Numbers. Have page numbers in the center of the bottom margin and all

pages numbered sequentially so that the electronic page counter and paper numbers are

consistent;

(D) Font and Spacing. Be in 13-point proportionally spaced serif font, including

footnotes, and use italics or boldface for emphasis, not underlining or all caps. Have 1.2 line

spacing, except the following may be single spaced: headings, block quotes, signature block.

Be left-aligned, not justified;

(E) External Links. Not contain any external live embedded hyperlinks or internal

bookmarks.

Reporter’s Notes—2027 Amendment

Rule 32(a)(1)(E) is amended in conjunction with simultaneous

amendments to 2020 Vermont Rule for Electronic Filing 7(a)(7) to

update the format requirements for electronic documents based on

technical changes to the electronic filing system. Previously, both

the appellate and efiling rules precluded electronically filed

documents from containing embedded hyperlinks or internal

bookmarks because these caused format errors that prevented

documents from being properly processed. Due to system changes,

it is now permissible to include internal links, which point to other

places within the same document. For example, a link in the table

of contents to that part of the document. Therefore, the restriction

against including these internal links is deleted. The language of

the rest of the rule is clarified to indicate that external live links to

other documents or websites are still not permitted. According to

the vendor, these links can result in format errors. A document can

contain the text of a web address, but the link must not be live.

3. That these amendments be prescribed and promulgated, effective on January 1, 2027. The

Reporter’s Notes are advisory.

4. That the Chief Justice is authorized to report these amendments to the General Assembly in

accordance with the provisions of 12 V.S.A. § 1, as amended.

Dated in Chambers at Montpelier, Vermont, this 18th day of August, 2026.

____________________________________

Paul L. Reiber, Chief Justice

____________________________________

Harold E. Eaton, Jr., Associate Justice

____________________________________

Nancy J. Waples, Associate Justice

Signed by the Vermont Supreme Court ________________________________________

Christina E. Nolan, Associate Justice

_____________________________________

Michael P. Drescher, Associate Justice