Windham County
Windham County, which was created in 1781 from Cumberland County, is situated in southeastern Vermont. Its county seat, also known as shire town, is Newfane, while Brattleboro is its biggest municipality. Nearly 46,000 people live in Windham County.
The Windham County Superior Court is the sole trial court within the county's court system. It exercises jurisdiction over all civil and criminal lawsuits and is organized into four court divisions according to case type, including:
The Windham Civil Division handles cases relating to contracts and personal injury, foreclosures and evictions, and medical malpractices and wrongful deaths. It also has appellate jurisdiction over the Probate Division, hears small claims up to $5,000, and shares jurisdiction with the Vermont Supreme Court over mandamus, prohibition, quo warranto, and certiorari cases.
The Criminal Division, in contrast, oversees felonies, misdemeanors, and certain municipal ordinance violation cases. Also heard in this Division are certain civil cases, such as judicial Bureau appeals, extradition suits, sex offender cases, parking violations, and forfeitures.
The Family Division presides over family and children cases, including civil union dissolution, divorce, desertion, child custody, separation, annulment, juvenile suits, and child support, among others. In comparison, the probate Division hears cases involving wills, trusts, appointment of guardians/conservators, name changes, marriage judicial consent, death certificates, and emancipation of minors, among others.
Court records in Windham County are records of legal case activities in the Superior Court's different divisions. They contain vital information on court activities, including case parties' details, charging information, case transcripts, and audio/video recordings of proceedings. Common court records on file in Windham County sole court include:
- Civil records
- Criminal records
- Family Divison records
- Probate records
The Windham County Clerk of the Superior Court is the official custodian of court records. Per the Vermont Public Record Act, non-exempt court records can be publicly examined and/or copied. Record seekers can request court records by submitting completed request forms in person, by mail, or by email to the Superior Courthouse. Payment for record copies can be made out to the Vermont Superior Court in person or by mail using checks or money orders. The Vermont Judiciary also provides additional court records access for free via its public portal online.
