18 § 4 § 4. Duties of Chief Superior Judge

(a) With respect to assignment of judicial officers, the Chief Superior Judge shall:

(1) Make annual assignments of superior judges, including the Chief Superior Judge, the magistrates, hearing officers, judicial masters, and assistant judges sitting alone as presiding judges (judicial officers), to the trial courts subject to Supreme Court Administrative Orders, taking into account the skills and temperament of the individual judicial officers;

(2) Specially assign judges, as defined in 4 V.S.A. § 22(a)(2), within the trial courts;

(3) Assign attorneys meeting such criteria as established by the Chief Superior Judge and approved by the Supreme Court as acting judges, taking into account their skills and temperament to perform the judicial duties to which they are assigned; and

(4) With the approval of the Chief Justice, assign active or retired justices, retired judges, and active or retired magistrates with their consent to the trial courts.

(5) Have the authority to remove a judicial officer from hearing cases if deemed necessary to facilitate the administration of justice, as well as to suspend a judicial officer pending an investigation of misconduct in accordance with the Rules of the Supreme Court for Disciplinary Control of Judges.

(b) With respect to management and operation of the trial courts, the Chief Superior Judge shall:

(1) Investigate or cause to be investigated complaints with respect to the management and operation of the trial courts and take action on reports referred by the Court Administrator; and

(2) Implement policies and take steps to ensure that decisions are completed by all judicial officers within a reasonable time, which steps may include prohibiting a judicial officer from hearing cases pending appropriate progress in their issuing timely decisions. The Chief Superior Judge shall report to the Chief Justice the status of any decisions that are not completed within established timelines along with a report on steps taken and/or to be taken to address the situation.

(c) The Chief Superior Judge shall also:

(1) Maintain knowledge of the conditions across all units of the Superior Court, which may include sitting throughout the state, from time to time, as the responsibilities of the Chief Superior Judge may permit;

(2) Resolve trial attorney scheduling conflicts when necessary, rule on motions for disqualification of judicial officers pursuant to the rules of procedure, and approve jury sequestration and change of venue requests pursuant to Supreme Court Administrative Directive No. 21;

(3) Review and approve the provisions of any standing order prior to its implementation and use in the trial courts. An order shall be considered a standing order if it is intended to apply to general procedural or case management requirements, or identified categories of cases. Absent good cause found by the Chief Superior Judge, all standing orders shall contain a sunset date.

(4) Report to the Supreme Court at such times as requested by the Chief Justice on the administration of the trial courts with recommendations for revised or additional rules, orders, statutes, or implementation of other practices needed for the improvement of the operation of the trial courts;

(5) Meet with unit presiding judges from time to time to review judicial officer policies and procedures to increase efficiencies;

(6) Take steps to ensure judges provide reasonable notice of plans to take annual and personal leave time in order to ensure court coverage;

(7) Fulfill other administrative duties assigned from time to time by the Court, which may include providing testimony before the Legislature on issues affecting the administration of the trial courts;

(8) Be an ex officio member of the various Superior Court oversight committees;

(9) Resolve scheduling conflicts relating to the transport of detained persons, including the issuance of policies relating to prioritization of transports, as well as the issuance of procedures and forms to be used to resolve conflicts; and

(10) Carry out the responsibilities of the Chief Superior Judge as are established by law.