Sheriff tells committee evictions are rising; describes tack orders, service practice and 14‑day vacate norm
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Summary
Sheriff Daniel Gamlin told the committee he has executed dozens of writs recently, that most evictions are for nonpayment of rent, and described routine sheriff practice (tack orders for alternative service, a 14‑day vacate period, and limited landlord liability for discarded belongings).
Sheriff Daniel Gamlin, a 44‑year law enforcement veteran who has handled evictions for more than four decades, told the committee on Feb. 17 that eviction executions have accelerated and that routine sheriff practice relies on existing service and vacate windows.
"January 1 to February 1, we've done 22 executions of writs of possession," Gamlin said, adding "we almost do them every day" and estimating that about 95% of those executions were for nonpayment of rent. He cited larger county volumes (Chittenden County performed 155 executions in 2025) and said many sheriffs' offices serve civil process within days of receiving pleadings.
Gamlin described common field practices: courts frequently issue tack orders authorizing alternative service (posting papers to the door) when defendants avoid service; once a writ of possession is served, sheriffs typically inform tenants they have 14 days to vacate and may execute on day 15. "On day 15 … the plaintiff has possession of the apartment," he said, explaining that many offices run multiple executions per week and coordinate limited time windows for tenants to retrieve essentials.
He also described the post‑eviction disposition of property: a statute that shifted liability away from many landlords means landlords often do not store discarded tenant belongings. "A lot is what I explained to the tenants … the landlord has no liability for the problem," Gamlin said, adding that while many landlords will allow a later retrieval time, others will not.
Committee members pressed about whether criminal arrests for violent or drug activity remove the need for civil eviction; Gamlin and judiciary witnesses explained that criminal arrest or prosecution does not automatically displace the separate civil eviction process; landlords generally still must pursue an ejectment for possession or rely on trespass/removal authority where applicable.
Gamlin suggested the committee consider operational realities—service, jail time for arrestees, and coordination between criminal and civil proceedings—when setting deadlines that could affect sheriff workloads and landlord‑tenant outcomes.
