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Read. Follow. Verify.Vermont S.178 establishes speedy trial dismissal deadlines for nonviolent criminal charges
Last action · January 6, 2026: Read 1st time & referred to Committee on JudiciarySponsor: Nader Hashim
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What This Bill Would Do
Defendants charged with a nonviolent misdemeanor may move to dismiss the case if trial does not start within one year, while defendants facing nonviolent felony charges can request dismissal after two years. Prosecutors must respond within 14 days, and failure to do so allows courts to dismiss the case with prejudice. The act takes effect upon passage.
Establishes mandatory legal timelines for criminal trials in Vermont, creating a right for defendants to seek case dismissal when trials are delayed beyond one or two years.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
criminal defendants
Defendants facing nonviolent misdemeanor or felony charges gain the right to move for case dismissal if their trials are delayed beyond statutory time limits.
prosecutors
Prosecutors must file a formal response within 14 days detailing reasons for trial delays when a defendant moves for dismissal.
Key Facts
- A defendant charged with a nonviolent misdemeanor may move for dismissal if the trial has not commenced within one year after the charge was filed.
- A defendant charged with a nonviolent felony may move for dismissal if the trial has not commenced within two years after the charge was filed.
- Prosecutors must respond to a speedy trial dismissal motion within 14 days.
- If a prosecutor fails to file a response within 14 days, the court may dismiss the case with prejudice.
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- Certain periods of delay are excluded when computing the time within which a trial must commence, including mental competency examinations, interlocutory appeals, and pretrial motion hearings.
- Delays resulting from the absence or unavailability of the defendant or an essential witness are excluded from the speedy trial time calculation.
- The act takes effect upon passage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if a prosecutor does not respond to a speedy trial dismissal motion?
Which charges are covered under the new speedy trial standards?
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
1 action- Jan 6, 2026SenateIntroducedRead 1st time & referred to Committee on Judiciary
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Connected Entities
Sources
legislature.vermont.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance75How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy40Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
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