§ 461a. Essex County; powers of assistant judges and magistrates in Family Court proceedings

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, an assistant judge of Essex County who has satisfactorily completed the training provided by the Vermont Supreme Court pursuant to Sec. 20 of Act No. 221 of the 1990 (Adj. Sess.), or a similar course of training that has been approved by the Supreme Court, shall act as a magistrate and hear and dispose of proceedings for the establishment, modification, and enforcement of child support and establishment of parentage in all cases filed or pending in the Family Division of the Superior Court in Essex County.

(b) The Chief Superior Judge may appoint and may specially assign a magistrate to serve as the presiding judge in the Family Division of the Superior Court in Essex County.

(c) No Vermont Family Court action filed or pending in Essex County, except for temporary abuse prevention proceedings and juvenile proceedings under Title 33, shall be heard at or transferred to the Family Division in another unit of the Superior Court. (Added 1993, No. 59, § 27e, eff. June 3, 1993; amended 2009, No. 154 (Adj. Sess.), § 29a; 2021, No. 147 (Adj. Sess.), § 17, eff. May 31, 2022.)