Chittenden County Court Records

Per Vt. Pub. Acc. Ct. Rec. Rule 2, a Vermont court record consists of both judicial branch and administrative records. An administrative record refers to any judicial branch record about the administration of the Judicial Branch or any court. A judicial-branch record is a document in the judiciary’s possession, custody, or control or was in a court’s possession for a court decision. The Superior Court Clerk is responsible for the safekeeping of court records in Chittenden County. Anyone can request court records since they are part of Chittenden County public records. The Clerk issues court records online, by email, mail, and in person. Below are some information that these records contain:

• Case summary (case number, location, filing date, and case title)
• Case information (statistical closures, case type, and case status)
• Assignment information (court and date assigned)
• Party information ( party type, case party names, and lead attorney names)
• Case events (date and events)

Chittenden County court records detail what transpired during a judicial proceeding. This helps members of the public have insight into what was said and the evidence presented during the hearing. Public access to court records helps people hold judicial officers accountable for ensuring legal proceedings are conducted fairly and impartially. Lawyers and judges refer to court records to ensure that case parties follow proper legal procedures.

Are Court Records Public in Chittenden County?

Yes. The Vermont Public Records Act and the Rules for Public Access to Court Records grant the public access to inspect or copy all court records in Chittenden County. However, the public does not have access to the following court records (Vt. Pub. Acc. Ct. Rec. Rule 6 ):

• Denied search warrant
• Mental health records
• Judicial work product
• A minor victim’s name
• Motions for ex parte relief
• A risk assessment or needs screening records
• Confidential, sealed, or expunged court records
• Social security, passport, taxpayer identification, and financial account number.
• Proposed exhibits are prefiled with the court before a trial or evidentiary hearing.
• Any evidence introduced in a proceeding that the public does not have access
• A complaint and affidavit filed by a plaintiff until the hearing has occurred.
• Records produced in discovery except those used at trial or in connection with court action requests.
• The information and supporting affidavits are filed during a criminal case in which there is no probable cause.
• Court information such as address, telephone number, and email address is provided for notification purposes.
• Federal, state, or local income tax returns and financial information filed with the court relating to filing fees and service costs waiver applications.
• Records of the issuance of a search warrant, like application, supporting affidavit(s), any testimony, inventory, and the search warrant, are confidential until the return of the warrant is filed.

Chittenden County Court Records Search

Members of the public can find Chittenden County court records via the following means:

• Third-party platforms
• The Vermont Judiciary Public Portal
• At any of the Superior Court’s divisions
• Public access terminal at the courthouse
• By email or mail by submitting the required form

Chittenden County Court Records Search by Name

A Chittenden County name-based search can be conducted online, by email, mail, or in person. Online searches are free through the Vermont Judiciary Public Portal. A search can be conducted by an attorney name, business name, judicial officer name, nickname, or party name. The search will return court records of every case party bearing the searched name. Click the case number link to view each case information. Email and mail requests can be made by sending a completed Request for Access to Court Records form to the court where the case was handled. Fill in the appropriate case name in the form to facilitate the search. Requesters can also submit the form at the appropriate courthouse in person during office hours.

A name-based search can also be conducted through the Superior Court’s Public Access Terminal (PAT). PAT users are able to view all court records that might not be available through remote access on the Public Portal. Individuals must visit the courthouse to use the PAT. To search for a court record on a PAT, users must go to the Public Portal and click “Smart Search”. type in a party name related to the desired records and submit the search. A list of cases related to the search will appear. Click on any resulting case number to view the court record. Use the advanced searching and filtering options to streamline the search if the resulting cases are too voluminous.

Chittenden County Courts

The Chittenden County court system comprises a Superior Court with five divisions: civil, criminal, environmental, family, and probate. Below are the addresses of the courts in the county:

Chittenden Civil Division
175 Main Street
Burlington, VT 05402
Phone: (802) 863-3467
(802) 651-1518 (Probate Division)

Chittenden Criminal Division
32 Cherry Street
Suite 300
Burlington, VT 05401
Phone: (802) 651-1950
(802) 651-1709 ( suite 200, Family Division)
(802) 951-1740 (suite 303, Environmental Division)

Chittenden County Superior Court Case Search

The Chittenden County Superior Court is a trial court with five divisions: civil, criminal, environmental, family, and probate. Individuals can request copies of Superior Court records by filling out the Request for Access to Court Records form. The form can be sent to the court by email at ChittendenUnit@vtcourts.gov, by mail, or in person. A copy of a Superior Count record is 25¢ per page, with a minimum of $1, and certified copies are $5. Older cases no longer stored at the courthouse cost a $7.50 postage fee. Mail or in-person request fees can be paid via check or money order. Individuals can pay by credit card over the phone, but they must email the completed form and include in the body of the email that they would like to make payment over the phone.

Superior Court records requests can also be made online through the Vermont Judiciary Public Portal. Users can search by name or record number. Filter the search by selecting “Chittenden Unit” from the Location search field. Access to Superior Court records is available to the public at courthouse public access terminals.

Chittenden County District Court Records

The Vermont Unified Court System consists of two levels: the Supreme Court and the Superior Court. There are no district courts in Vermont or Chittenden County, and the Superior Court handles all court cases in Chittenden County. Court records can be retrieved online, by mail, email, or in person at the Superior Court’s office.

Chittenden County Criminal Records

A criminal record provides all arrest and disposition information about an offender. Most researchers begin their criminal records search by requesting Chittenden County arrest records, which helps them access an offender's arrest details. Individuals can find information about an arrest at the Police Department in the town or city where the arrest occurred. Most City or Town Police Departments have public arrest records on their websites. For example, the Essex Police Department publishes monthly Arrest Reports on its website.

Chittenden County criminal records can be obtained by mail or in person at the Vermont Crime Information Center (VCIC) between Monday and Friday, 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Mail requesters must submit a Request Form accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope and a cashier’s check or money order of $30 to:

Criminal Records Section
Vermont Crime Information Center
45 State Drive
Waterbury, VT 05671-1300

Chittenden County Criminal Court Case Lookup

The Chittenden County Criminal Division handles cases involving felonies and misdemeanors. A record seeker can conduct criminal court case lookup through the following methods:

• Online: Requests should be made using the Vermont Judiciary Public Portal. The search criteria are by name or record number. Users can filter their search by selecting “Criminal Division” from the Case Type search field.
• By mail: Send a completed Request for Access to Court Records form to the Criminal Division. Write criminal court records in the case type area. Paper copies of criminal court records cost 25¢ per page, a minimum of $1, and certified copies: $5. Payment can be made by check or money order.
• By email: Email a completed application form to the Division at ChittendenUnit@vtcourts.gov. After sending the email, call the court after a few days to ensure the request was received.
• In-person: Requests should be made during business hours, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The courthouse is closed on the second Tuesday of each month from noon to 4:00 p.m. Individuals can also view court records at the Criminal Division’s Public Access Terminal for free. A name or case number is required to perform a search. Printing criminal records from PAT comes with a fee.

The Chittenden County Superior Court issues criminal records checks by writing or mail. Written requests are received at the court's public service counter. Mail requesters must submit a Criminal Record Check Request & Reply form alongside a self-addressed, stamped envelope and the necessary fee to the courthouse. The search fee costs $30 per name, photocopies cost 0.25 per page (minimum charge of $1.00), and certified costs $5. Additional fees apply to microfilmed records. At the minimum, the requester must provide a name and the subject’s date of birth.

Get Chittenden County Civil Court Records

The Chittenden County Civil Division is a trial court that hears civil matters such as medical malpractice, foreclosure, land disputes, personal injury, breach of contract, eviction, and wrongful death cases. The Division also hears civil cases appealed from the Probate Division. It includes the Small Claims Court, where cases with a maximum amount in controversy are $10,000. The Chittenden County Civil Division disseminates civil court records online, by mail, email, or in person at the courthouse. Requesters must be able to provide a name or case number to conduct a search. A copy of a civil court record costs 25¢ per page, and certified copies cost $5.

Chittenden County Family Court Records

The Chittenden County Family Division is the custodian of family court records. It handles family cases like divorce, separation, parentage, civil union dissolution, and child support and custody. Most family court records are confidential. However, some family court records are public and are available online, by email, mail, or in person at the courthouse. Online requesters can use the Vermont Judiciary Public Portal. The search criteria are by name or number. Streamline the search by selecting Family Division from the Case Type dropdown. Email, mail, or in-person requesters can send or take a completed Request for Access to Court Records form to the courthouse.

Chittenden Dissolution of Marriage Records

The Chittenden County Family Division handles dissolution of marriage cases. Individuals can easily view the dissolution of marriage records online through the Vermont Judiciary Public Portal. The search parameters are by name or number. Those who cannot access their desired records via the portal can fill out the Request for Access to Court Records form and email or mail it to the Division. The form can also be submitted in person during business hours.

Chittenden County Marriage and Divorce Records

Interested individuals can inspect or obtain copies of divorce records from the Chittenden County Family Division. Requests can be made online through the Vermont Judiciary Public Portal. A search can be conducted by name or number. Individuals can narrow their search by selecting Family Division from the Case Type dropdown. Alternatively, divorce records can be obtained by email, mail, or in person at the courthouse during business hours.

All Chittenden County vital records are originally recorded at the local level. A copy of a Chittenden County marriage record can only be obtained in the clerk’s office in the town or city where the marriage license was issued. Requests can be made online, by mail, or in person for a fee of $10 per certified copy and $2 per noncertified copy. For example, requesters can obtain marriage records from the Underhill Town Clerk by mailing an Application For Certified Marriage License form to the Clerk’s Office or vising the office in person during business hours (Monday to Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. to Noon).

Chittenden Birth and Death Records

Town/City Clerks issue noncertified and certified copies of Chittenden County vital records for births and deaths. Non-certified copies of birth and death records are public. However, certified copies are confidential and open to only a selected few like:

• The subject of the record (Chittenden County birth records only)
• Spouse, child, parent, grandchild, gran parent, legal guardian
• Court-appointed executor or administrator
• Legal representatives
• A person with a court order
• Authority for final disposition (death records only)
• Social Security Administration (death records only)
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (death records only)
• The deceased's insurance carrier (death records only)
• Employee of a Vermont public agency
• Petitioner for decedent's estate (Chittenden County death records only)

Record seekers can obtain birth or death records online, by mail, or in person at the Clerk’s office in the town/city where the birth or death occurred. Certified copy copies of certificates cost $10 per copy, and noncertified copies cost $2 per copy. For example, the City of Burlington Clerk/Treasurer's Office issues birth and death certificates online, by mail, or in person. Online requesters must complete the Chittenden County Birth Certificate Request and Death Certificate Request form. In-person requests can be made at the Clerk’s Office from Monday to Friday between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Mail requesters must submit a completed request form and a photocopy of a valid ID.

Chittenden County Probate Court Records

The Chittenden County Probate Division handles probate cases such as adoption, emancipation, guardianships, wills, correction and establishment of birth, death, and marriage records, estates, and trusts. The most common way of obtaining probate court cases is online through the Vermont Judiciary Public Portal. A search can be conducted by name (attorney name, business name, judicial officer name, nickname, and party name) or number (attorney bar number, case cross-reference number, case number, and citation number). Individuals can also obtain probate court records by mail, email, or in person during normal business hours.

Chittenden County Property Records

All Chittenden County property records are recorded and preserved at the local level. They can primarily be found at the Assessor and Clerk's office where the property is located. For example, the Burlington Assessor's Office issues property records to members of the public online through the Property Database tool and in person during business hours (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.). The South Burlington Clerk's Office also makes property records available online and in person to the public.

Chittenden County Court Records Online

Most third-party sites, especially vermontcourtrecords.us, provide members of the public with access to court records online. The search query required is first and last name. Most third-party platforms are easy to navigate, and they return basic court records at no cost. However, access to extensive court records requires a 7-day access fee or monthly subscription.