Chief Justice Paul Reiber says he's willing to consider changes to a judicial restructuring bill that the Supreme Court has been pushing.  

The Vermont House has approved legislation that supporters say is needed to ensure that all Vermonters have equal access to the state's legal system in the future.

We look into a bill that would overhaul the state's court system, and hear from those who have major concerns with those proposed changes.  Also, an update on a new victim automated notification system in Vermont.

For two years now, a commission created by the Vermont Legislature has been looking for ways to deliver judicial services more efficiently and affordably across the state. In Vermont's two smallest counties, the commission proposes cutting staff and moving most judicial hearings to larger, neighboring counties. 

New Hampshire lawmakers are mulling whether to override Gov. John Lynch's veto of bills meant to speed up the legal process for divorcing couples and to ease the backlog of jury trials by letting retired judges hear them.

Leaders of the Vermont judiciary say the state needs to consolidate its court system in order to save money.

The Vermont Supreme Court says it has told all judiciary employees in the state to take 12 unpaid days off before June 2010, the end of the 2010 fiscal year.

The committee approved the legislation after voting down an amendment that called for an advisory statewide referendum on the issue.

The Vermont Senate Judiciary Committee has unanimously recommended authorizing civil marriage for gay and lesbian couples.

The chief justice of the Vermont Supreme Court says the delivery of justice in the state is being compromised by budget cuts and an outdated court system.

Chairman Patrick Leahy led the Senate Judiciary Committee's confirmation hearing for Attorney General designate Eric Holder.

The Tax Department says three years of rising property values have built a $20 million surplus in the state's Education Fund; Senator Patrick Leahy praises President-elect Barack Obama on his choice for attorney general; Senator Leahy also plans a hearing of the Judiciary Committee this week in St. Albans.

Senator Patrick Leahy plans to come to St. Albans next week to chair a U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on rural crime.

Senate Democratic leaders say the proposed bill would allow prosecutors to seek a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in jail if the sexual assault victim is less than 16 years old.

Committee Chairman Dick Sears of Bennington says anyone convicted under the law would go to prison for a minimum of 25 years - and a maximum of life.

Sen. Dick Sears recaps the public testimony his committee has taken on how to punish and treat sex offenders, and gives us a preview of draft recommendations for the Legislature. Also, VPR's Neal Charnoff goes backstage with a production of "Well" by playwright Lisa Kron.

A criminal investigation will be conducted into the Bush administration's firings of nine U.S. attorneys two years ago.

VT Judiciary and Douglas Administration square off over proposed budget cuts; enrollment for Catamount health falls short of projections; regional initiative aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions gaining ground in Northeast; NH fuel company fined $6,000 for 2 fuel spills in VT; Camp Ta-Kum-Ta moving from Colchester; Deborah Luskin on boomers caught between elderly parents and maturing children.

The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee is frustrated that a judge won't talk about a case involving Michael Jacques (Jakes), the man accused of kidnapping Brooke Bennett, The committee is holding hearings on possible changes to Vermont law following the kidnapping and murder of Bennett, a 12-year-old Braintree girl.

A meeting of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee has just concluded in Rutland; the Vermont Supreme Court has saved some of its more contentious cases for a series of hearings today at Vermont Law School; more...