Amy Davenport will retire at the end of this year as Vermont’s chief administrative judge. The Vermont Supreme Court has named Barre judge Brian Grearson to succeed her when she retires on December 31 after 24 years on the bench.
The chief administrative judge oversees the state’s civil, criminal, probate, environmental and family courts and performs various other duties related to the court system including testifying before the legislature and organizing judicial education and the judge rotation plan.
Grearson was appointed to Superior Court 10 years ago and practiced law in Barre for about 30 years before that. He was a deputy state’s attorney from 1976 to 1978, according to a press release.
Davenport had served on the bench since 1990 and became chief administrative judge in 2005, she said Wednesday. “It just seemed like time to retire,” she said.
Before becoming a judge, Davenport was a state representative from 1984 to 1990 and chaired the House Judiciary Committee during her final biennium, she said. As a lawmaker she helped pass legislation to create the Family Court and create two additional judgeships, one of which she applied for when she left the Legislature, Davenport said.
Davenport said she most enjoyed being a trial judge and interacting with people involved in court cases and helping them try to resolve their disputes.
“Trying to help them figure out how to get things back on track, I think that’s what I like. I like the interaction with them even when they’re upset and angry,” she said.
The family court is much improved since its inception 25 years ago, Davenport said. Before it was created, family matters were split between civil and criminal court.
“I think we have come a long, long way in terms of understanding what litigants who have family cases need, what their kids need, and how to help litigants get through the process,” she said.
Looking into the future, Davenport said one area where the court system could improve is to update its technology, which would help the courts better manage their caseloads.
