Legal Blog

The Vermont DMV has strict timelines on the filing of a uniform accident report by a motorist who is involved in a car accident where damage has been sustained. However, if there is an ongoing investigation into an accident, or if a motorist has been cited for a criminal offense, such as DUI or Negligent…

For all of those who have been following the Federal Reserve’s decisions on when and if to cut interest rates, one of the major factors in this decision was the inflation gague determined by the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The recent release of higher then expected numbers has cast serious doubt as to the timing…

If an individual is convicted of a DUI either in the criminal or civil context, there are certain requirements that must be met in order for their driver’s license to be reinstated. What is important for most people, is that these tasks are completed efficiently so there is no “dead time”, where a suspension is…

An Enhanced Life Estate Deed also referred to as a Lady Bird Johnson Deed (courtesy of President Lyndon Johnson) has served an important role in many Vermont landowner’s estate plan for many years. The basic premises of an ELED is to convey property to a third party (often children or grandchildren) that reserves all rights…

The frustration for many propective Vermont homebuyers has become readily apparent as elevated interest rates persevere and the housing supply remains low. The Wall Street Journal has recently reported that 2023 home sales are on track for the slowest year since 2011. Given this trend, those who have been holding off on making an offer…

For years the narrow Smuggler’s Notch road (Vermont Route 108) has posed a significant issue for Vermont law enforcement when a tractor trailer attempts to navigate over the top of the notch. The common result for these incursions is a five figure ticket for failing to comply with the numerous signs that lead up to…

According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, motorists have been as much as a 41% increase in their auto insurance rates over the past year, with an anticipated 5-10% increase expected in 2024. These increases have been tacked on to all drivers, not just those who have a less than stellar driving history. Based…

After an investigation in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts discovered that breathalyzers were not calibrated properly, 27,000 individuals with DUI convictions and guilty pleas now find themselves in a position to have their case reevaluated – without the false evidence. According to the court, there was “egregious government misconduct” performed over an almost 8 year span…

Anytime you consume an alcoholic drink, it takes time for the alcohol to fully integrate into your system and for the intoxicating effect to occur. This “BAC curve” can play a significant role in determining whether or not an individual is intoxicated at the time of operation of their motor vehicle and this guilty of…

Mediation is the attempt to reach an agreement between two or more parties in a legal dispute. A mediator acts as a neutral non-interested attorney to find common ground for the parties to agree upon. When a civil complaint is filed in Vermont Superior Court, Rule 16.3 of the Vermont rules of civil procedure states…