Vermont Rules of Civil Procedure
115 rules across 12 groups · 109 active
Vermont's civil-procedure rules are cited as “V.R.C.P.” and were adopted by the Vermont Supreme Court under its constitutional and statutory rulemaking authority. They are organized into 12 groups, from general scope and commencement of an action through depositions and discovery, trials, judgment, provisional remedies and special proceedings, appeals to the superior courts, and general provisions. Browse the full set below, with verbatim rule text, the official Reporter's Notes the Vermont Supreme Court's own advisory committee published alongside each amendment, amendment history, and a plain-English summary for every rule.
I. Scope of Rules; One Form of Action
Cited as V.R.C.P. · 2 active rules · 2 in the official compilation
II. Commencement of Action; Service of Process, Pleadings, Motions and Orders
Cited as V.R.C.P. · 8 active rules · 8 in the official compilation
III. Pleadings and Motions
Cited as V.R.C.P. · 15 active rules · 16 in the official compilation
- Rule 7 Pleadings allowed; form of motions
- Rule 8 General rules of pleading
- Rule 9 Pleading special matters
- Rule 9.1 Complaint in a credit card debt action
- Rule 9.2 Special pleading requirements in residential eviction proceedings
- Rule 9.3 Abrogated Abrogated
- Rule 10 Form of pleadings
- Rule 11 Signing pleadings and motions; representations to the court; sanctions
- Rule 12 Defenses and objections; motion for judgment on the pleadings
- Rule 13 Counterclaim and cross-claim
- Rule 14 Third-party practice
- Rule 15 Amended and supplemental pleadings
- Rule 16 Pretrial procedure; formulating issues
- Rule 16.1 Complex actions
- Rule 16.2 Scheduling orders
- Rule 16.3 Mediation
IV. Parties
Cited as V.R.C.P. · 11 active rules · 11 in the official compilation
- Rule 17 Parties plaintiff and defendant; capacity
- Rule 18 Joinder of claims and remedies
- Rule 19 Joinder of persons needed for just adjudication
- Rule 20 Permissive joinder of parties
- Rule 21 Misjoinder and nonjoinder of parties
- Rule 22 Interpleader
- Rule 23 Class actions
- Rule 23.1 Derivative actions by shareholders
- Rule 23.2 Actions relating to unincorporated associations
- Rule 24 Intervention
- Rule 25 Substitution of parties
V. Depositions and Discovery
Cited as V.R.C.P. · 12 active rules · 12 in the official compilation
- Rule 26 General provisions governing discovery
- Rule 27 Discovery before an action or pending appeal
- Rule 28 Persons before whom depositions may be taken
- Rule 29 Stipulations about discovery procedure
- Rule 30 Depositions upon oral examination
- Rule 31 Depositions upon written questions
- Rule 32 Using depositions in court proceedings
- Rule 33 Interrogatories to parties
- Rule 34 Producing documents and things; entry on land for inspection
- Rule 35 Physical and mental examination of persons
- Rule 36 Requests for admission
- Rule 37 Failure to make discovery; sanctions
VI. Trials
Cited as V.R.C.P. · 18 active rules · 18 in the official compilation
- Rule 38 Right to a jury trial
- Rule 39 Trial by jury or by the court
- Rule 40 Calendar; assignment; continuances; disqualification
- Rule 41 Dismissal of actions
- Rule 42 Consolidation; separate trials
- Rule 43 Taking testimony; evidence
- Rule 43.1 Remote and hybrid proceedings
- Rule 44 Proof of an official record
- Rule 44.1 Determining local and foreign law
- Rule 45 Subpoena
- Rule 46 Exceptions unnecessary
- Rule 47 Jurors
- Rule 48 Juries of less than twelve; majority verdict
- Rule 49 Special verdicts and interrogatories
- Rule 50 Judgment as a matter of law in a jury trial; motion for a new trial
- Rule 51 Argument; instructions to the jury
- Rule 52 Findings by the court
- Rule 53 Masters
VII. Judgment
Cited as V.R.C.P. · 10 active rules · 10 in the official compilation
- Rule 54 Judgments; costs
- Rule 55 Default
- Rule 56 Summary judgment
- Rule 57 Declaratory judgments
- Rule 58 Entry of judgment
- Rule 59 New trials; amendment of judgments
- Rule 60 Relief from a judgment or order
- Rule 61 Harmless error
- Rule 62 Stay of proceedings to enforce a judgment
- Rule 63 Disability of a judge
VIII. Provisional and Final Remedies and Special Proceedings
Cited as V.R.C.P. · 9 active rules · 9 in the official compilation
IX. Appeals to the Superior Courts
Cited as V.R.C.P. · 3 active rules · 5 in the official compilation
- Rule 72 Appeals from the probate divisions
- Rule 73 Abrogated Abrogated
- Rule 74 Appeals from decisions of governmental agencies
- Rule 75 Review of governmental action
- Rule 76 Abrogated Abrogated
X. Superior Courts and Clerks; Attorneys
Cited as V.R.C.P. · 5 active rules · 6 in the official compilation
XI. Special Rules for Certain Actions
Cited as V.R.C.P. · 10 active rules · 12 in the official compilation
- Rule 80 Repealed Repealed
- Rule 80.1 Foreclosure of mortgages and judgment liens
- Rule 80.2 Naturalization of aliens
- Rule 80.3 Abrogated Abrogated
- Rule 80.4 Habeas corpus
- Rule 80.5 Civil license suspensions and penalties for DWI
- Rule 80.6 Judicial bureau procedures
- Rule 80.7 Immobilization or forfeiture hearings
- Rule 80.8 Transfer from district to superior court
- Rule 80.9 Enforcement of municipal parking violations
- Rule 80.10 Orders against stalking or sexual assault
- Rule 80.11 Procedure in expedited actions
XII. General Provisions
Cited as V.R.C.P. · 6 active rules · 6 in the official compilation
Rules 9.3, 73, 76, and 78 are printed in the official rules as "[Abrogated.]" and Rule 80.3 as "[Abrogated.]" with no rule text; Rule 80 is printed as "[Repealed.]" with no rule text. All six are shown unlinked. The Appendix of Forms referenced by Rule 84 was itself abrogated effective February 14, 2022 and is excluded from this site, matching the Federal Rule 84 Forms-appendix precedent. All other numbers reconciled against the official source are active.