Caledonia County, Vermont Court Records

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    VermontCourts.us is not a consumer reporting agency as defined by the FCRA and does not provide consumer reports. All searches conducted on VermontCourts.us are subject to the Terms of Service and Privacy Notice.

    Caledonia County is served by a unified Superior Court that consolidates criminal, civil, family, and probate matters under one courthouse in St. Johnsbury. Court records here document everything from felony prosecutions and civil disputes to divorce proceedings and estate administration. The court clerk maintains these files, and Vermont's public records framework makes most court documents available to anyone who asks — with some clearly defined exceptions for sensitive categories of information.

    How to Look Up a Court Case in Caledonia County?

    Whether you live in Vermont or are researching from out of state, you have a few practical options for finding Caledonia County case information. VermontCourts.us offers a useful starting point for understanding Vermont's court structure and figuring out which division handles a particular matter. For actual case lookups, the Vermont Judiciary's Public Portal provides web-based access to court records with role-based access for members of the public.

    Most Caledonia County courthouses also have public access terminals (PATs) on-site, where you can search by case number or party name at no charge — though printing costs a per-page fee. If you prefer not to visit in person, you can also submit requests by mail or email to the court clerk's office.

    Are Court Records Public in Caledonia County?

    Vermont's Public Records Act, codified at 1 V.S.A. § 316, gives any person the right to inspect or copy public records held by a public agency, including the courts. That presumption of openness applies broadly to Caledonia County court filings — case documents, orders, judgments, and motions are generally available upon request.

    That said, the Vermont Rules for Public Access to Court Records identify specific categories that are withheld or restricted. Be aware that the following types of records are not available to the general public:

    • Grand jury proceedings
    • Juvenile court records and related files
    • Sealed or expunged criminal records
    • Records containing personal identifying information such as Social Security numbers and financial account details
    • Medical and psychological evaluations submitted to the court
    • Records related to alcohol or drug dependency treatment
    • Adoption records
    • Active law enforcement investigation materials
    • Child custody and child support records where disclosure conflicts with applicable privacy protections

    If the court denies your request for a record, you can challenge that decision by filing a Notice of Appeal of Decision on Access to Court Records with the relevant court division.

    Caledonia County Criminal Court Records

    Caledonia County's Criminal Division of the Superior Court handles felony and misdemeanor cases, issues warrants, conducts arraignments, and maintains all related case files. The division is located at the Caledonia County Courthouse in St. Johnsbury.

    Caledonia County Criminal Division
    Address: 1126 Main Street, Suite 1, St. Johnsbury, VT 05819
    Phone: (802) 748-6600
    Fax: (802) 748-6603
    Email: CaledoniaEssexUnit@vtcourts.gov
    Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (closed the second Tuesday of each month from 8:00 a.m. to noon for in-service training)
    Presiding Judge: Honorable Heather Gray
    Clerk of Court: Margaret Villeneuve

    It's worth knowing that Vermont distinguishes between a criminal record check — which covers all criminal cases associated with a specific individual — and a request for access to a single case file. The Vermont Judiciary's Criminal Record Checks page explains both processes in detail.

    Requesting a Statewide Criminal Record Search

    1. Obtain and complete the Request for Criminal Record Search form (Form 200-00331), available from the Vermont Judiciary website.
    2. Provide the full name and date of birth of the subject.
    3. Include an email address for return of results.
    4. Submit payment by check or money order made payable to Vermont Superior Court. The form specifies the current fee.

    5. Mail or hand-deliver the completed form and payment to:

      Vermont Judiciary Information Center
      Costello Courthouse, 32 Cherry Street, Ground Floor
      Burlington, VT 05401

    Results come back by email within approximately three business days of receipt. If you need records predating 1990, send your request directly to the county courthouse where the case was filed. Keep in mind that results will not include out-of-state records or confidential cases.

    For information about individuals held at the Caledonia County facility, contact the Caledonia County Sheriff's Office at 970 Memorial Drive, St. Johnsbury, VT 05819, or call (802) 748-6666.

    Caledonia County Civil Court Records

    The Civil Division handles non-criminal disputes — contract claims, personal injury actions, small claims, liens, and similar matters. Civil records typically include complaints, answers, motions, orders, and final judgments, and are generally open to the public through the courthouse.

    Caledonia County Civil Division
    Address: 1126 Main Street, Suite 1, St. Johnsbury, VT 05819
    Phone: (802) 748-6600
    Fax: (802) 748-6603
    Email: CaledoniaEssexUnit@vtcourts.gov
    Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

    To request copies of civil case records, complete the Request for Access to Court Records form, which you can find on the Vermont Judiciary's Records Requests page. You can submit the completed form by:

    • In person at the Civil Division during business hours
    • By mail to the courthouse address above
    • By email to CaledoniaEssexUnit@vtcourts.gov (follow up with a phone call after a few days to confirm receipt)

    Copy Fees

    ItemFee
    Paper copies$0.25 per page (minimum $1.00)
    Certified copies$5.00
    Postage (older off-site cases)$7.50 prepaid

    Pay for copies by check or money order made payable to Vermont Superior Court, submitted in person or by mail. Credit card payments over the phone are also available — note this preference in your email submission and the court will contact you to complete the transaction.

    If the file you need is no longer stored at the courthouse, the clerk will identify the off-site facility holding the record and give you the locator numbers needed to access it.

    Caledonia County Family Court Records

    Family law matters fall under the Family Division of the Superior Court, which operates under Vermont's unified family court model. All family-related proceedings involving a household are managed within this single division, so you won't need to navigate multiple courts.

    Caledonia County Family Division
    Address: 1126 Main Street, Suite 1, St. Johnsbury, VT 05819
    Phone: (802) 748-6600
    Fax: (802) 748-6603
    Email: CaledoniaEssexUnit@vtcourts.gov
    Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
    Presiding Judge: Honorable Heather Gray
    Superior Judge: Honorable Bonnie Badgewick
    Assistant Judges: Honorable John S. Hall, Honorable Merle Haskins
    Clerk of Court: Margaret Villeneuve
    Magistrates: Alicia Humbert and Jessica Seman

    The Vermont Family Division handles the following case types, among others:

    • Dissolution of marriage and legal separation
    • Civil union dissolution
    • Child custody, support, and visitation
    • Parentage determinations
    • Domestic violence Relief from Abuse orders (after-hours emergency line: (800) 540-9990)
    • Dependency, neglect, and abuse proceedings
    • Termination of parental rights
    • Status offenses (truancy, runaway, beyond parental control)

    Family court proceedings do not include jury trials; a presiding judge or magistrate makes all decisions. Family Division records follow the same request process used for other divisions — submit the Request for Access to Court Records form in person, by mail, or by email.

    Marriage and Divorce Records

    Marriage and divorce certificates for Caledonia County are issued by the Vermont Department of Health. Certified copies cost $10 per certificate, plus a $2 processing fee if ordered online. You have three ordering options:

    • Town/City Clerk — The fastest and most affordable method for Vermont residents; local clerks can issue both certified and noncertified copies of vital records on file.
    • Online — Place orders through the Vermont Vital Records Ordering Service using a credit card; most orders ship within 5 to 7 business days.
    • By mail — Complete the applicable application form and mail it with payment to the address listed on the form. For marriages and divorces from 2024 onward, use the marriage/divorce/dissolution application. Records from 2023 and earlier require a separate application.

    Only the parties to a marriage or their immediate families may obtain certified copies of marriage certificates. If you need documentation of a divorce without the full decree, a Certificate of Divorce can be ordered through the online Vermont Vital Records Request Service.

    Birth and Death Records

    Certified copies of birth and death certificates are restricted under Vermont law to the record subject (if 18 or older), immediate family members, legal guardians, and their authorized representatives. Noncertified copies are available to anyone at no charge. The Certified Copy of Birth or Death Certificate Application covers records from January 1, 1909 to the present.

    Vital Records Office
    280 State Drive, Waterbury, VT 05671-8370
    Tel: (800) 439-5008
    Email: VitalRecords@vermont.gov

    Caledonia County Probate Court Records

    Probate matters in Caledonia County fall within the Probate Division of the Superior Court, which shares the same courthouse location as the other divisions. Probate judges in Vermont are elected to four-year terms and handle a broader range of proceedings than traditional estate administration alone.

    The Vermont Probate Division has jurisdiction over the following matter types:

    • Probate of wills and validation of estate documents
    • Administration of intestate estates
    • Trust administration and oversight
    • Adult and minor guardianships
    • Conservatorships
    • Adoptions
    • Emancipation of minors
    • Corrections to birth, death, and marriage records
    • Authorization of nonresident clergy to perform marriages

    Searching Probate Records

    Caledonia County probate records are accessible through the same request procedures used for other court divisions. You can:

    1. Visit the courthouse in person and use the public access terminal to search by case number or party name, or
    2. Complete the Request for Access to Court Records form and submit it to the courthouse by mail, in person, or by email.

    If you visit in person, bring a valid photo ID and as much identifying information as possible — the decedent's or ward's full name, approximate filing date, and any known case number will help staff locate the file quickly. Copies cost $0.25 per page (minimum $1.00) for regular copies and $5.00 for certified copies. A $7.50 prepaid postage fee applies if the case file has been moved to an off-site records storage facility.

    Older Caledonia County probate records are also available through the Vermont Secretary of State's Archives and Records Administration, which holds historical probate materials and maintains access to select collections through services such as Ancestry.com — with free access available to Vermont residents for research and printing. These archives are especially useful for estate and guardianship records predating the unified Superior Court structure.