Delays have become a dismayingly common occurrence in Vermont's court system. The state's judiciary remains mired in a pandemic-era backlog that has seen the number of unresolved criminal cases swell to 15,000, double the pre-pandemic norm. More cases have languished, leaving the accused in limbo while frustrating victims who must wait months — or years — for resolution.
To see firsthand the barriers to timely justice, Seven Days and Vermont Public spent five days, May 6 through 10, inside the downtown Burlington courthouse, attending hearings and interviewing participants. Time and again, across the dozens of cases heard in three courtrooms, judges and attorneys struggled to carry out even basic judicial functions through a crush of obstacles.
An excerpt of the audio story is included here for consideration (see the audio player above). Find the full feature here.
