Vermont judge in retention hearing addresses criticism about courtroom demeanor, outlines small-claims and incarcerated-litigant practices

Judge Dixon Corbett, a Vermont Superior Court judge assigned to the Windsor unit in Woodstock, addressed the Judicial Retention Committee during his retention hearing, responding to survey feedback and describing specific courtroom practices.

Corbett told the committee he aims to “put people in a position to succeed at sharing information about themselves” and said he values “procedural fairness and empathy for litigants in difficult situations.” He acknowledged critical survey comments alleging a rigid or cold demeanor and said that dynamic can come from the judge’s moderating role: when a judge limits a lawyer’s time or sustains or overrules objections, attorneys may feel unfairly treated. Corbett said he is trying to explain rulings more often and to “slow down” so lawyers understand why he is making decisions.

The committee members read several attorney comments to Corbett, including that a few attorneys perceived gender bias and…