Updated at 4:55 p.m.
Vermont Superior Court Judge A. Gregory Rainville has withdrawn his application for retention, choosing instead to retire after facing tough questions from lawmakers last week.
Rainville confirmed in an interview Tuesday that he had withdrawn his name from consideration with the Joint Committee on Judicial Retention, a panel of legislators that reviews state judges every six years. Rainville currently sits in Chittenden Superior Court, criminal division.
“This whole process made me realize just how much of a toll this takes on judges,” Rainville said.
The joint committee received an email from Rainville on Tuesday morning informing members of his withdrawal, according to Peggy Delaney, an assistant for the committee. Rainville was appointed to the Superior court by Gov. James Douglas in 2006.
On Feb. 22, Rainville appeared before the retention committee and faced pushback on his courtroom style as well as his conduct during the committee hearing itself. Some lawmakers took issue with Rainville for interrupting committee members and for publicly disagreeing with the policies of Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sarah George.
“The hearing was a difficult one and there are a number of people who are upset about it,” Rainville said Tuesday. “That’s a separate issue that needs to be addressed at another time.”
The retention committee had planned to discuss Rainville’s application again on Wednesday.
Rainville, who was appointed in 2006, said his original plan was to work as a judge for another three or four years, but instead he will retire when his term concludes at the end of March.
“I put in a lot of years, I’ve worked hard. I’d like to leave it when I’m on top and feel like I’m doing well,” he said.
Sen. Dick McCormack, D-Windsor, chair of the retention committee, said in an email Tuesday that he didn’t want to comment beyond what is already in the public record.
“Judge Rainville’s withdrawal from consideration for retention makes the Retention Committee’s concerns moot,” McCormack wrote. “In deference to Judge Rainville’s many years of public service, I see his decision to retire as a personal decision.”
Asked how he believed a vote would have turned out on Rainville’s retention, McCormack replied, “The Committee had not completed its inquiry when we learned of Judge Rainville’s withdrawal. One might speculate either way as to how the committee would have decided, but my answer is that I don’t know.”
Withdrawals during the retention process have occurred before. In 2011, another Superior Court judge, Mark Keller, announced his decision following the committee’s vote to not retain him.
There are 12 other judges up for review in this year’s slate before the committee. The committee will make a decision on each judge before a joint assembly of the House and Senate will make a final vote before terms expire at the end of March.