Chief Justice says business court might be a solution

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(Host) The Chief Justice of Vermont’s Supreme Court says a type of business court may be the solution to the justice department’s budget shortfalls.

Justice Paul Reiber says he intends to ask Governor Jim Douglas to form a committee to examine a business court and other ways to streamline the system. Reiber says a judge that specialized in business cases would be better equipped to handle cases quickly.

(Reiber) "Business courts would be able to limit the amount of discovery based upon a judge’s triage of the case, if you will, when it came in through the door. Limiting discovery, setting short time limits on when the trial would take place, so that the cases would not generate huge amounts of attorney’s fees and additional costs."

(Host) Rising personnel costs have created a $1 million deficit in the justice department this year.

Justice Reiber says there’s not much flexibility in the $35 million budget. And he says 16 job vacancies are causing morale problems and hurting the judicial process.

 

AP Photo/Toby Talbot

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