Witness Fees

V.S.A. tit. 32, ch. 17, subch. 5

in effect

32 V.S.A. § 1551 Attendance fees

1551. Attendance fees There shall be allowed to witnesses the following fees: (1) For attendance before a court or to give a deposition before a notary public, $30.00 a day. (2) For attendance before an appraiser appointed by the Commissioner of Taxes, $30.00 a day, such fees to be apportioned as the appraiser may direct. (3) For attendance on other courts or tribunals, $30.00 a day. (4) For travel in the State, all witnesses shall receive mileage at the rate of reimbursement allowed State employees for travel under the terms of the prevailing collective bargaining agreement. Amended 1965, No. 194, § 10, eff. July 1, 1965, operative Feb. 1, 1967; 1969, No. 294 (Adj. Sess.), § 22, eff. April 9, 1970; 1971, No. 185 (Adj. Sess.), § 236(a), (b), eff. March 29, 1972; 1973, No. 193 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. April 9, 1974; 1973, No. 249 (Adj. Sess.), § 94, eff. April 9, 1974; 2003, No. 70 (Adj. Sess.), § 22, eff. March 1, 2004; 2009, No. 154 (Adj. Sess.), § 210.

32 V.S.A. § 1552 Criminal causes

1552. Criminal causes Unless otherwise provided, witnesses in attendance before the grand jury or any court in criminal causes shall be allowed the sum of $10.00 per day for the days on which they attend, together with $0.08 a mile each way for each day of such attendance. The witness fee shall be paid by the party who calls the witness. Amended 1969, No. 294 (Adj. Sess.), § 23, eff. April 9, 1970; 1991, No. 245 (Adj. Sess.), § 94(c).

32 V.S.A. § 1553 Witness certificates for bill of costs

1553. Witness certificates for bill of costs A party who produces a witness in Superior Court shall procure a certificate signed and sworn to by such witness, specifying the number of miles from his or her usual place of abode to the place of trial, and the number of days he or she attended as a witness, before the travel and attendance of the witness shall be allowed such party in his or her bill of costs. Amended 1973, No. 193 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. April 9, 1974.

32 V.S.A. § 1556 Witnesses before General Assembly

1556. Witnesses before General Assembly A committee of either House or a committee, board, or commission appointed pursuant to an act or joint resolution of the General Assembly, when so authorized, may summon witnesses to appear before it and call for the production of persons and papers. The Sergeant at Arms shall require under oath from each witness a voucher giving the miles travelled and the days he or she attends. Such witnesses and the officer summoning them shall receive the same fees as in Superior Court. A member of the General Assembly shall not receive such fees during a session thereof. Amended 1973, No. 193 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. April 9, 1974.

32 V.S.A. § 1557 Payment

1557. Payment When the Commissioner of Finance and Management receives such subpoenas and witness vouchers, he or she shall issue his or her warrant for such sum as he or she finds due to the Sergeant at Arms. Amended 1959, No. 328 (Adj. Sess.), § 8(b); 1983, No. 195 (Adj. Sess.), § 5(b).

32 V.S.A. § 1559 Compensation of law enforcement officers for attendance at proceedings

1559. Compensation of law enforcement officers for attendance at proceedings (a) No full time State Police officer, municipal police officer, game warden, or other State employee shall be paid or accept any compensation as a witness in any civil or criminal proceeding to which the State is a party. (b) In any civil proceeding in the State in which a full time State Police officer, municipal police officer, game warden, or other State employee is subpoenaed as a witness either because of his or her expert knowledge with regard to his or her employment area or because of his or her past official actions, the fees due him or her as a witness shall be paid by the party summoning the witness to the clerk of the court to be paid to the State, the county, or the municipality, depending upon which governmental unit employs the individual. (c) These persons shall be compensated for such attendance by their employer according to the terms of their employment. Added 1969, No. 294 (Adj. Sess.), § 24, eff. April 9, 1970; amended 1983, No. 106 (Adj. Sess.).

Source: Vermont General Assembly (legislature.vermont.gov)URL: https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/chapter/32/017Fetched: 10/21/2026