The Vermont Supreme Court on Wednesday suspended Addison County state’s attorney Eva Vekos’ law license.
In their unanimous order, justices said that Vekos violated professional conduct rules when she failed to provide information to the panel that regulates lawyers.
While the interim suspension would bar Vekos from practicing law, it does not force her to resign as the county’s top prosecutor, which is an elected position. There’s also no requirement for state’s attorneys to have a law license.
The order didn’t specify how long the suspension would last.
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Vekos was arrested in late January after police say she appeared intoxicated at a house in Bridport where Vermont State Police were investigating a suspicious death. She pleaded not guilty to the DUI charge in February, and took three weeks of medical leave.
The Professional Responsibility Board then opened a disciplinary investigation into Vekos.
The board’s attorney, Jon Alexander, asked Vekos to provide information about why she was taking the leave. According to the Vermont Supreme Court’s order, Vekos did not adequately respond to Alexander's request for information and violated a rule that says lawyers can’t “knowingly fail to respond to a lawful demand for information” from a disciplinary authority.
“We conclude that the evidence here warrants the immediate interim suspension of respondent’s license to practice law,” the justices wrote in their decision.
Vekos didn’t respond to a request for comment.
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Vekos’ attorney, David Sleigh, said in an interview that Alexander engaged in a "clear overreach," when he asked to examine Vekos' medical records and speak to her providers.
The court, in its order, said that the case wasn’t about whether Vekos should turn over her medical records, but whether she’d complied with a lawful request for information.
“Respondent gave no information to Disciplinary Counsel in response to his request, aside from a copy of the press release announcing respondent’s 'medical leave,'” the justices wrote.
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Sleigh said that he emailed Alexander on Wednesday asking what information he wanted.
“Given the direction of the court we'll comply with that,” Sleigh said. “And then we will seek to vacate the interim suspension.”
Alexander declined to comment.
Vekos was elected Addison County state’s attorney in 2022.
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