2012 BASIC SKILLS IN VERMONT PRACTICE & PROCEDURE ... · PRACTICE & PROCEDURE Environmental...
Transcript of 2012 BASIC SKILLS IN VERMONT PRACTICE & PROCEDURE ... · PRACTICE & PROCEDURE Environmental...
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Vermont Bar Association
Seminar Materials
2012 BASIC SKILLS IN VERMONT
PRACTICE & PROCEDURE
Environmental Regulation & Court Practice
August 23 & 24, 2012
Windjammer Conference Center
South Burlington, VT
Faculty:
Jacalyn Fletcher, Esq.
Gerald R. Tarrant, Esq.
Hon. Thomas G. Walsh
Laura Zeisel, Esq.
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H O N . T H O M A S S . D U R K I N H O N . T H O M A S G . W A L S H
VERMONT SUPERIOR COURT ENVIRONMENTAL DIVISION
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WELCOME & INTRODUCTIONS
• Thomas G. Walsh, Environmental Judge
• Jackie Fletcher, Env. Division Court Manager
• Laura Zeisel, Env. Division Case Manager • Presentation will provide a review of the process and practice before
the Environmental Division
• Gerry Tarrant, Esq. • Chair, VBA Environmental Law Section
• Presentation will cover several recent Environmental Division and Supreme Court decisions
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HISTORY OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL “COURT”
• Legislature formed the Court in 1990 • One Judge • Limited Jurisdiction – forum for appeals of violations of state environmental
regulations
• 1998 Jurisdiction expanded to appeal of municipal
zoning/subdivision decisions
• 2005/2006 Permit Reform • Expanded Jurisdiction – appeals of Act 250 & 40 + ANR program decisions • Added a second judge
• 2012 ANR Ticketing added to Court’s jurisdiction
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2006 EXPANDED JURISDICTION
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THE ENVIRONMENTAL DIVISION
• Two (2) Superior Court Judges – sitting alone (4 VSA §1001)
• Court is located in Berlin, Vermont
• Judges travel – 4 V.S.A.§ 1001(e)
• Non-evidentiary hearings/conferences conducted by telephone unless ordered by the Court to be in person
• The Office & Staff:
• Overview Presented by Jackie Fletcher, Court Manager
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OVERVIEW OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL DIVISION’S JURISDICTION
• Municipal Decisions - of the 269 towns and villages in Vermont, 206 have enacted zoning regulations. Decisions made pursuant to these regulations are appealable to our Court.
• Act 250 Decisions (coordinators and district commissions)
• ANR Program Decisions (44+ programs)
• Enforcement • Municipal
• State
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JURISDICTION MORE SPECIFICALLY
• 4 V.S.A. § 34
• 10 V.S.A. Chapter 201
• ANR & Act 250 Enforcement
• 10 V.S.A. Chapter 220
• Appeals of Municipal Zoning & Subdivision decisions;
• Appeals of decisions of the 40+ ANR permitting programs;
• Appeals of Act 250 District Coordinator decisions & District Commission decisions
• 24 V.S.A. Chapter 117
• Vermont Planning and Development Act
• 24 V.S.A. Chapter 61, Subchapter 12
• Local Solid Waste Ordinances
• Revocation of permits issued under 10 V.S.A. Chapter 151
• Revocation of Act 250 Permits
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JURISDICTION CONTINUED
• V.R.E.C.P. Rule 3. Civil Actions • Lists the original jurisdiction of the Court
• Examples are:
• Revocation of Act 250 permits
• Revocation of municipal permits
• Enforcement of AO’s of ANR
• Actions to recover penalties for municipal violations
• Actions by the AG to challenge validity of a bylaw relating to equal treatment of housing
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COURT RULES
• V.R.E.C.P. – Specific to this Court http://www.vermontjudiciary.org/GTC/environmental/default.aspx
• V.R.C.P. – Apply so far as applicable. See V.R.E.C.P. 3 & 5(a)
• V.R.A.P. – Apply so far as applicable. See V.R.E.C.P. 3 &5(a)&(h)
• V.R.E. – Apply, BUT: evidence not admissible under the Rules of Evidence may be admitted if it is of a type commonly relied upon by reasonably prudent persons in the conduct of their affairs. 4 V.S.A. § 1003; V.R.E.C.P. 2(e); see also MAPA 24 V.S.A. § 1206
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V.R.E.C.P.
• Rule 1. Scope of Rules
• These rules govern the procedure in the Environmental Division
• Construed and administered to: • Ensure summary and expedited proceedings,
• Full and fair determination
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V.R.E.C.P.
• Rule 2. General Provisions • Coordination of Proceedings
• If matters involve significant common issues of law or fact, the Court may:
• Advance, defer, coordinate, or combine proceedings
• Discovery
• Court to establish type, sequence, and amount – limiting to that necessary
• Pretrial Conference and Order
• By telephone, initial with judge and later with Case Manager
• Establish process to reach resolution
• Evidence
• Site Visit – Will take place unless parties agree otherwise – for context
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V.R.E.C.P.
• Rule 3. Civil Actions
• Actions shall be commenced and conducted as civil actions
• Long list of matters within the Court’s original jurisdiction with a catch all at the end
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V.R.E.C.P.
• Rule 4. Review of Environmental Enforcement Orders
• AO
• AOD
• Emergency Order
• Important note: 10 VSA § 8012 – Request a hearing within 15 days; Hearing to be held within 30 days unless continued for good cause.
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V.R.E.C.P.
• Rule 5. Appeals • Notice of Appeal
• Contents, Service, Publication (Act 250)
• Appearance • 20 days to appear from last appeal or notice thereof (or later Intervene)
• Claims and Challenges to Party Status • Interlocutory from District Commission
• Automatic unless challenged
• If denied below, must appeal AND FILE A MOTION FOR PARTY STATUS
• Stay • Not automatic unless permit is for stream alteration or shoreline
encroachment,
• Or denial of interested person status by BOA, PC, or DRB
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V.R.E.C.P.
• Rule 5 con’t • Statement of Questions
• Filed within 20 days of appeal
• Court’s review is limited to the SOQ
• Subject to motion to clarify or dismiss
• De novo or On-the-Record (OTR)
• De novo (trial anew) – Court applies the substantive standard from below
• OTR
• AMPs which have adopted OTR, or
• Decision of Commissioner of Forest, Parks, and Recreation
• Appeal to the Supreme Court
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V.R.E.C.P.
• Rule 6. Definitions
• Rule 7. Title
• Rule 8. Effective Date
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COURT’S TWO METHODS OF REVIEW
• De novo – trial anew
• On-the-Record – like the Vermont Supreme Court’s review
• Important for parties and lawyers to know which method of review will be employed
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DE NOVO FLOW-CHART
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DE NOVO FLOW
• A decision is issued by a municipality, Act 250, or ANR Program
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DE NOVO FLOW
• Appellant: person filing an appeal
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DE NOVO FLOW
• Notice of appeal – Filed by Appellant
• V.R.E.C.P. Rule 5 • Contents, Service, Publication (Act 250)
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DE NOVO FLOW
• Appeal is filed with the Environmental Court with a copy to the municipality
• V.R.E.C.P. 5(4)(A)
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DE NOVO FLOW
• Case Filed – Court does the following:
• Docket number assigned
• Judge assigned
• Case entered into computer
• Initial letters sent
• Tracking system activated
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DE NOVO FLOW
• Within 5 business days of the filing of the appeal municipality sends to Appellant the List of Interested Parties
• V.R.E.C.P. 5(4)(A)
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DE NOVO FLOW
• Appellant then sends a copy of the Notice of Appeal to Interested Parties by certified mail
• V.R.E.C.P. 5(4)(A)
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DE NOVO FLOW
• Within 20 days from date appeal filed Appellant must file its Statement of Questions
• V.R.E.C.P. 5(f)
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DE NOVO FLOW
• Within 20 days from receiving the Notice of Appeal other parties must file their Entry of Appearance
• V.R.E.C.P. 5(c)
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DE NOVO FLOW
• Initial Conference with the Judge
• Generally by telephone
• Always recorded
• Within the first 4-6 weeks from the filing of the appeal
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DE NOVO FLOW
• Following the Initial Conference, the Judge issues a Scheduling Order.
• The Scheduling Order tailors the course of the appeal to what that individual case needs.
• Pretrial Motions
• Mediation & ID of Mediator
• Mediator’s Report
• Discovery
• Parties’ unavailable Dates for Trial
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DE NOVO FLOW
• Mediation:
• Overview presented by Laura Zeisel, Case Manager
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DE NOVO FLOW
• Court staff monitors deadlines, checking in with parties as needed to move the case along
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DE NOVO FLOW
• Conference(s) with Case Manager:
• Always by telephone
• Never recorded
• Review status
• Follow-up on mediation/settlement discussions
• If case settles, follow-up to see that settlement documents timely filed
• If case has not settled, move towards resolution by motion or trial
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DE NOVO FLOW
• Set Trial date(s) and Final Pre-Trial Conference
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DE NOVO FLOW
• Trial held: generally in the county where case arises
• Site Visit:
• Most matters include a site visit
• Put evidence into context
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DE NOVO FLOW
• Post Trial Filings?
• Due dates given at trial, if not previously established
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DE NOVO FLOW
• Under Advisement
• No set amount of time. Each case is different. Goal is to give each case the appropriate amount of time and attention
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DE NOVO FLOW
• Decision Issued
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DE NOVO FLOW
• Appeals of Environmental Court Decisions are filed with the Vermont Supreme Court
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ON-THE-RECORD REVIEW - OTR
• This is the Court’s second method of review and it is less common
• Per V.R.E.C.P. Rule 5(h)
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OTR
• What is OTR?:
• Court reviews the record from below – similar to our Vermont Supreme Court review
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OTR
• No new evidence
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OTR
• Court’s review:
• Uphold the facts if supported by substantial evidence in the record
• Review legal conclusions w/out deference unless the conclusion was within the area of expertise of the body below –
• Currently there are no bodies below having expertise
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OTR
• When does OTR apply?:
• AMP – must undertake the process to be an OTR town
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OTR
• Need a resolution or bylaw that:
• Provides that appeals from the AMP will be OTR
• Must define the level of development subject to OTR
• Must state that Municipal Admin. Proc. Act applies
• See Goddard College EO issued in April 2012
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OTR
• Effort this year before the legislature to create a pilot program for Act 250 District Commission decisions to be reviewed OTR before the Environmental Division.
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OTR
• The Record – what is it?:
• Original papers filed with the AMP
• Writings & Exhibits considered by the AMP
• Electronic recording of the AMP proceedings
• Transcript of the AMP Proceeding, if any:
• If AMP proceeding < 12 hrs then electronic recording is ok
• If AMP proceeding is >= 12 hrs then must be a transcript
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OTR
• Appellant must order a transcript (if required) within 10 days of filing the appeal (copy of the request must be served on the other parties)
• Clerk of AMP must file the Record with the Court within 30 days of the filing of the appeal.
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OTR
• Briefs/Reply Briefs:
• Follow Rules of Appellate Court Proceedings
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OTR
• Oral Argument:
• Possible change in the OTR practice –
• Notice providing date by which parties must request argument – otherwise, waived
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OTR
• Under Advisement
• Written Decision Issued
• Potential Appeal to the Supreme Court
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PRACTICE SUGGESTIONS
• What the Judges like….
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PRE-TRIAL MOTION PRACTICE
• Consider the likelihood of success and the impact on the overall time the matter is pending before the Court
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TRIAL EXHIBITS
• Format/labeling will be addressed during your final pre-hearing conference
• Need an original for the court, copies for all parties and consider having an extra copy for the Judge to review as you are examining the witness
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PROPOSED FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS
• Prefer prior to Trial
• Will allow post trial supplements
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FOR OTR APPEALS
• Even if the proceeding below is less than 12 hours, consider whether having a transcript vs. the electronic recording would be more appropriate
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POST - JUDGMENT
• Reconsideration?
• V.R.C.P 59(e) – Motion to Alter or Amend
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NEW JURISDICTION IN 2012
• EEO Ticketing
• New in 2012
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CIVIL COMPLAINT FORM – 10 V.S.A.§8019
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THE END
• Thank You & Questions…