The Grand Isle County Courthouse is now closed to the public three days a week because the county sheriff’s department said it could no longer provide security for the building, and state officials did not immediately line up a full-time replacement.
The courthouse remains open for in-person services Tuesdays and Thursdays — with security — and there is no impact on the schedule for remote hearings. A dropbox is being installed near the entrance where people can deposit court documents.
During the pandemic, most of the court’s operations have been remote, since the building in North Hero does not have a mechanical ventilation system.
But now on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, islanders who want to drop off court paperwork in person — including filings that involve emergency relief from abuse, stalking and sexual assault — will need to travel to courthouses in Franklin County.
Relief from abuse filings will be accepted at the Franklin County Family Court, which is at 36 Lake St. in St. Albans City, and filings for relief from stalking and sexual abuse can be taken to the Franklin County Civil Court at 17 Church St. in the city.
Grand Isle State’s Attorney Douglas DiSabito said the courthouse is one of the few state services available in Grand Isle County, and limited access to the building, even temporarily, could be dangerous for people in abusive situations.
His understanding is that court officials have known for almost two months that the Grand Isle County Sheriff’s Department might pull security from the courthouse, so he thinks a way to keep the building open every weekday should have been already worked out.
“Access to justice is very difficult for people in rural communities,” DiSabito said in an interview. “This is something that needs to be fixed immediately.”
State Court Administrator Patricia Gabel said in a statement that the county sheriff’s department “recently notified us that they were unable to staff the position that has provided security and screening for in-person visitors to the court.”
Her office is “working on new staffing solutions and several other alternatives to make doing business at the Grand Isle Courthouse as convenient as possible,” she said.
Court documents can also be filed through the judiciary’s website by emailing JUD.FranklinGrandIsleUnit@vermont.gov or by calling 802-372-8350.
Vermont’s judicial branch is in charge of 25 courthouses in the state’s 14 counties. The court administrator is responsible for security operations, which include screening at courthouse entrances, officers stationed in courtrooms and roving patrols.
State-employed court officers and private contractors provide supplemental security at some locations. For instance, the state hired a multinational security company in 2016 to protect two Windham County courthouses and another in Chittenden County.
DiSabito said a private security company could be a good option to replace the sheriff’s department at the Grand Isle County Courthouse.
In an email exchange with Gabel, he also said the state should consider whether the elected constables in Isle la Motte and Alburgh could fill in as courthouse security on an interim basis.
Neither Gabel nor the Grand Isle County Sheriff’s Department responded to VTDigger’s requests for comment Thursday before publication.
Rep. Michael Morgan, R-Grand Isle-Chittenden, said he has been told the sheriff’s department’s decision was the result of “a manpower shortage.”
Restoring the court’s regular in-person schedule is critical, he said, noting the limited hours seem to put Grand Isle County residents at a disadvantage.
“It’s certainly not fair and equitable to the county,” Morgan said.