Vermont Supreme Court Justice Brian Burgess has announced that he is retiring from the court.
Burgess, a former trial court judge and assistant attorney general, was appointed associate justice to the Vermont Supreme Court in 2005.
Vermont Law School professor Cheryl Hanna says that Justice Burgess brought a good awareness of how decisions by the Vermont Supreme Court would affect the lower courts. And Hanna says he was known for his excellent writing skills.
"They say in the law sometimes somebody writes 'with the heel of a stiletto'. And if you read Justice Burgess' opinions, you really get that sense -- he was a very sharp, crisp, very clear writer."
"Governor Douglas had two appointees to the Vermont Supreme Court -- Justice Burgess and Chief Justice Reiber. And when the court split decisions ... you often saw the two of them voting together, often with a little bit more of a conservative take on the law," Hanna says.
Hanna describes Justice Burgess as an outstanding mentor who helped many young lawyers enter the profession.
