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Senate Judiciary hears Defender General support changes to S.178 aimed at restoring speedy-trial remedies
Summary
On Jan. 9 the Senate Judiciary received testimony on S.178, a bill intended to reinforce speedy-trial rights after pandemic-era delays. The Defender General urged clearer statutory standards, highlighted long competency-evaluation waits and a Burlington pilot that reduced violations, and cautioned about drafting pitfalls that could allow dismiss-and-refile tactics.
The Senate Judiciary heard testimony Jan. 9 on S.178, a bill sponsors say would restore meaningful remedies for violations of the constitutional right to a speedy trial. The Defender General told the committee the right still exists but has been ‘‘eroded’’ by exceptions and pandemic-related delays, and urged the Legislature to put clearer statutory standards in place.
The Defender General said pandemic courtroom closures and subsequent scheduling problems left many cases unresolved and stressed that constitutional rights do not ‘‘go away during pandemic.’’ He pointed to appellate history, including a Bennington-era case that reached the U.S. Supreme Court and was later treated as a Vermont-constitutional speedy-trial violation, as evidence that the current system can fail defendants.
Why it matters: Committee members heard that lengthy delays have practical…
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