Legal Blog

According to the Vermont legislature – “In no event may a final hearing occur more than 42 days after the date of the alleged offense without the consent of the defendant or for good cause shown.” In essence, this means that the state cannot push the final hearing on a civil trial back further than…

All states except for 5 (Massachusetts, Michigan, Wisconsin, Tennessee, and Georgia) are part of the Driver’s License Compact. The idea behind this is that there is one license, one record, for all of these states. Unfortunately, it is not always that simple. The idea for these states is to treat violations from out of the…

A Brief on Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus in Vermont DUI Investigations What is Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN)? The definition of nystagmus is a “rapid involuntary movement of the eyes.” This could be side to side, up and down, or circular movements of the eyes. This is due to brain disease or inner ear balance. Brain disease…

Pre-Operational Before operating a lidar, the officer or operator should first check to make sure each component is with/on the device, as well as in place. The operator should then inspect the device for external damage, missing components, or any damage that could prevent the lidar from functioning accurately and properly.  Additionally, the operator must…

History In 1960, Theodore H. Maiman announced the build of a red coherent light pushed from a ruby crystal, which was the first laser. Nearly 30 years later in 1989, the first law enforcement speed measurement laser device was patented.  Lidar & Laser Lidar is an acronym. It stands for “light detection and ranging.” Laser…

If My Boss or Supervisor Asks Me Questions at Work, Do I Have to Answer Them? What If I Am a Public or Government Employee? As a general condition of employment for all jobs, employees are required to fully and honestly answer any work related questions that their supervisor might ask them.  This is a…

A Look Into Violations That Can Cause Loss of Your CDL (Commercial Driver’s License) Many actions taken by those who have their CDL, or trucking license, whether it be behind the wheel of a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) or personal vehicle, can result in the suspension or loss of licensure. This can lead to loss…

Do you need a trust to protect your assets from probate and taxes? You may be surprised to hear that the answer is probably not. Unless you have an expensive portfolio of funds that you wish to control during your lifetime, you probably do not need to undergo the expense of creating a trust. Trusts…

Vermont has recently updated its rules to both the witnessing of wills, under S. 316, and rent escrow hearings under S. 114. Changes have also been made to court procedures making it easier for defendants to waive their personal appearance before the court in some matters. DUI civil suspension hearings are also delayed during the…

Vermont criminal defense attorneys and Defendants are well aware of the Calendar Call day. Simply put, it is a gathering of a large number of prosecutors, defense attorneys and defendants for one block of time, normally a morning or afternoon. What is not as simple is the argument that these calendar calls can be an…