MONTPELIER, Jan. 24, 2025 — The Senate Judiciary Committee on Friday moved six of the governor’s judicial nominees out of committee after a short public-comment exchange and a roll-call confirmation vote.

A resident, Winnie Wilkinson of St. Albans, told the committee she is “concerned about the potential appointment of judge John McClain” and said she worried McClain’s past decisions on housing-related matters could undermine confidence among marginalized tenants who cannot afford counsel. Wilkinson told the committee she had “sat in on a case that he was the judge concerning a marginalized person who could not afford an attorney.”

Judge Joseph S. McClain, identified in committee documents as a current judge in the Environmental Division, responded to Wilkinson’s remarks. McClain said he did not recall meeting Wilkinson and told the panel he has encountered numerous self‑represented people in his roughly six months on the bench. “I won’t hesitate in appropriate circumstances to enforce constitutional rights of all people and to invalidate provisions that I determine to be constitutionally discriminatory,” McClain said. He also said the Environmental Division primarily handles land‑use permitting and appeals and “typically would not get involved in landlord‑tenant” matters, though he acknowledged serving as an emergency backup judge in the Montpelier Civil Division on occasion.

Committee members discussed allowing additional witnesses to testify if constituents request it before a floor vote. A member said two constituents had reached out with concerns about a different nominee and the committee chair noted the committee can receive additional testimony after committee action and before a full‑Senate floor vote. The chair also described recent changes to the judicial nominating board, including adding an office of racial equity representative to the panel.

Votes at a glance
- Confirmations advanced (committee vote): Bonnie J. Badgwick — advanced out of committee (committee roll call recorded).
- Mariana Dasana (name recorded in roll call as “Dasana”) — advanced out of committee (committee roll call recorded).
- Timothy Charles Doherty Jr. — advanced out of committee (committee roll call recorded).
- Joseph S. McClain — advanced out of committee (committee roll call recorded).
- Jessica Seaman — advanced out of committee (committee roll call recorded).
- Laura C. Rountree — advanced out of committee (committee roll call recorded).

Each nomination was the subject of a committee roll call and the committee chair indicated nominees will be placed on the Senate calendar. The chair told members that if additional witnesses wish to appear, the committee can accept testimony between the committee vote and the floor vote, or accept written testimony instead.

Why it matters: Judicial confirmations set who will preside over matters ranging from environmental permitting to civil cases. Committee members and a public witness highlighted concerns tied to housing‑related cases and access to counsel for self‑represented parties; McClain and the chair clarified the scope of the Environmental Division and the committee’s process for receiving additional testimony.

Next steps: The nominations will proceed to the Senate calendar consistent with committee practice; the chair said there is normally a five‑day period between committee action and the floor calendar, and the committee can accept further testimony before the floor vote if requested.