Vermont Supreme Court
Montpelier · A court of last resort in Vermont.
The Vermont Supreme Court is the highest court in Vermont. Its justices are chosen by gubernatorial appointment. This page lists every justice to serve on the court, current and former, with when they joined the bench and whom they succeeded.
Current bench verified against the court’s official roster, 2026-07-02.
Current justices
- Chief JusticePaul L. Reiber
- Harold E. Eaton Jr.
- Nancy J. Waples
- Michael P. Drescher
- Christina E. Nolan
Former justices
| Justice | Years |
|---|---|
| Geoffrey William Crawford | 2013 |
| Beth Robinson | 2011 |
| Brian L. Burgess | 2005–2013 |
| Jeffrey L. Amestoy | 1997–2004 |
| Marilyn S. Skoglund | 1997 |
| Denise Johnson | 1990–2011 |
| James L. Morse | 1988–2003 |
| John A. Dooley III | 1987 |
| Frank G. Mahady | 1987–1987 |
| Thomas L. Hayes | 1985–1987 |
| Frederic W. Allen | 1984–1996 |
| Ernest W. Gibson III | 1983–1997 |
| Louis P. Peck | 1981–1990 |
| Wynn Underwood | 1981–1984 |
| William C. Hill | 1976–1987 |
| Franklin S. Billings Jr. | 1975–1984 |
| Robert W. Larrow | 1974–1981 |
| Rudolph J. Daley | 1972–1980 |
| F Ray Keyser Sr. | 1964–1975 |
| Harold C. Sylvester | 1963–1964 |
| Albert W. Barney Jr. | 1960–1982 |
| Milford K. Smith | 1960–1976 |
| Percival L. Shangraw | 1958–1974 |
| James Stuart Holden | 1956–1972 |
| Benjamin N. Hulburd | 1955–1963 |
| Paul A. Chase | 1953–1956 |
| Stephen S. Cushing | 1952–1953 |
| Charles Bayley Adams | 1949–1959 |
| Samuel H. Blackmer | 1949–1951 |
| Walter H. Cleary | 1947–1959 |
| Olin M. Jeffords | 1938–1958 |
| Allen R. Sturtevant | 1938–1948 |
| John S. Buttles | 1937–1949 |
| John C. Sherburne | 1934–1955 |
| Sherman R. Moulton | 1926–1949 |
How a justice reaches this court. Justices of the Vermont Supreme Court are appointed by the governor to 6-year terms. A judicial nominating board screens candidates and the governor appoints with Senate consent; justices are retained for further six-year terms by a vote of the General Assembly. Selection methods vary by jurisdiction and have changed over time; this page reflects the court’s current method (source: National Center for State Courts). Open any justice to see their tenure and whom they succeeded.
Source: Current roster: Vermont Judiciary — Supreme Court and CourtListener / Free Law Project (bulk data); selection method from the National Center for State Courts. Data as of 2026-07-02 (official roster); historical bench 2026-03-31 (CourtListener bulk snapshot). Verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).