County Buildings and Lands

V.S.A. tit. 24, ch. 3, subch. 1

in effect

24 V.S.A. § 71a Courthouses

71a. Courthouses (a) Except as provided herein, each county shall provide and own a suitable courthouse, pay all utility and custodial services, and keep such courthouse suitably furnished and equipped for use by the Superior Court, together with suitable offices for the county clerk, assistant judges, and Probate judges. Office space for the Probate Division of the Superior Court may be provided elsewhere by the county. The county shall provide at least the facilities for judicial operations that it provided on July 1, 2009. (b) If all judicial operations in a county are contained in one court building owned by the State, the county clerk and assistant judges may also be located in the same building. The Court Administrator and the Commissioner of Buildings and General Services shall be the superintendents of the building. They shall make decisions regarding building construction, space allocations, and use of the facility after consulting with the Superior Court presiding judge and the assistant judges. The county shall no longer be required to maintain a courthouse. (c) The Court Administrator, in consultation with the presiding judge of the Superior Court, shall determine what judicial operations will occur in the county courthouse. Added 1993, No. 233 (Adj. Sess.), § 45, eff. June 21, 1994; amended 1995, No. 62, § 41, eff. April 26, 1995; 1995, No. 148 (Adj. Sess.), § 4(c)(1), eff. May 6, 1996; 1995, No. 181 (Adj. Sess.), § 7; 1997, No. 121 (Adj. Sess.), § 16; 2009, No. 154 (Adj. Sess.), § 163; 2009, No. 154 (Adj. Sess.), § 163a, eff. Feb. 1, 2011.

24 V.S.A. § 72 Expenses of the Superior Court

72. Expenses of the Superior Court The expenses connected with the Superior Court, unless otherwise provided, shall be paid by the State. Amended 1959, No. 328 (Adj. Sess.), § 8(c), eff. March 1, 1961; 1983, No. 195 (Adj. Sess.), § 5(b); 1987, No. 243 (Adj. Sess.), § 28, eff. June 13, 1988; 1995, No. 181 (Adj. Sess.), § 8; 1999, No. 135 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; 2009, No. 154 (Adj. Sess.), § 164.

24 V.S.A. § 73 Support of sheriff’s department

73. Support of sheriff’s department (a) The county shall provide the sheriff with an adequate bond, a suitable office, office equipment and supplies, and adequate telephone service. The sheriff’s department shall also be provided with law enforcement equipment, supplies, insurance, and funds for maintaining and operating such equipment as the assistant judges consider necessary to ensure that the department operates in a safe, accountable, and professional manner. The county shall also provide reasonable secretarial assistance and bookkeeping assistance. The county shall also provide funds necessary for department personnel to comply with basic and in-service training requirements established by the Vermont Criminal Justice Council; funds to provide the matching share for grants from federal, State, or private sources; and funds to pay the liability insurance premiums for the sheriff and sheriff’s deputies. (b) From revenues derived from a contract, the sheriff’s department shall provide salaries, equipment, and other funds necessary to carry out that contract. Amended 1967, No. 345 (Adj. Sess.), § 15, eff. April 1, 1969; 1971, No. 141 (Adj. Sess.), eff. Feb. 3, 1972; 1977, No. 218 (Adj. Sess.), § 5; 1987, No. 262 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.

24 V.S.A. § 75 Telephone

75. Telephone Each county shall provide adequate telephone service for the county courthouse, the offices of the county clerk, and the sheriff. Amended 1967, No. 345 (Adj. Sess.), § 17, eff. April 1, 1969; 1969, No. 266 (Adj. Sess.), § 5, eff. July 1, 1971; 2009, No. 154 (Adj. Sess.), § 165, eff. Feb. 1, 2011.

24 V.S.A. § 76 County law library

76. County law library Each county may maintain a complete set of Vermont Reports including the digest thereof in the county clerk’s office and in each Probate office. The county may maintain in the courthouse or elsewhere such additional law books as in the opinion of the assistant judges are needful for the judges and officials having offices in the county. Amended 2009, No. 154 (Adj. Sess.), § 165a.

24 V.S.A. § 77 County lands; purchase; condemnation

77. County lands; purchase; condemnation (a) Each county may acquire and own such lands and rights in lands as in the opinion of the assistant judges are needful for county purposes. (b) A county may condemn land in situations similar to those in which a municipality may condemn under section 2805 of this title by complying with the procedures established in sections 2805 through 2812 of this title, with the assistant judges performing the duties assigned by those sections to the selectboard. (c) In any proceeding brought by a county under subsection (b) of this section, the assistant judges shall be disqualified, and the proceeding shall be heard by the presiding judge sitting alone. Amended 1979, No. 193 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. May 6, 1980; 2009, No. 154 (Adj. Sess.), § 166; 2013, No. 161 (Adj. Sess.), § 72.

Source: Vermont General Assembly (legislature.vermont.gov)URL: https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/chapter/24/003Fetched: 10/21/2026