Rapid Accountability Docket in Windham Superior Court to stay on a reduced schedule

Court data indicate that the docket has so far closed 223 cases, while 297 others remain active in the program.

The Rapid Accountability Docket in Windham Superior Court, Criminal Division, will continue after its initial run, but only one morning each week, according to Windham County State’s Attorney Steven Brown.

Brown said the effort has already shown results, pointing to connections between defendants and support services that might not have happened otherwise. He described the program as effective overall and said it gave some participants a better path to resolving their cases.

Court data indicate that the docket has so far closed 223 cases, while 297 others remain active in the program. In total, 105 defendants have taken part, and 45 of those cases have been resolved.

The docket was introduced in July as a 90-day countywide push designed to speed up the time between an alleged offense and a defendant’s first court appearance. Officials said the goal was to create faster accountability while also linking people to services close to the time of the offense, with the hope of reducing repeat incidents.

Brown said the cases handled through the docket were often resolved under terms more favorable to defendants than they might have received otherwise. He also praised Health Care & Rehabilitation Services for its role, saying the agency was present at most hearings and became an important resource for participants.

Looking ahead, Brown said the court plans to keep the docket operating in a modified form, with one morning reserved each week. He expects Judge John Treadwell to continue presiding over the cases.

Town Manager John Potter said Brattleboro gained from the program because it extended work already being done through the Situation Table and One Brattleboro. He said those partnerships helped create practical new ways to connect people involved in the criminal justice system with support.

Potter also expressed appreciation for service providers, town employees, the judiciary and the Governor’s Office for helping improve public safety in Brattleboro.

Brown said the program required significant strain on both the State’s Attorney’s Office and the Public Defender’s Office because neither was built to support a third court stream. He said the courthouse had previously been organized around criminal and family matters, and keeping the docket going has meant reallocating staff and resources.

Even so, Brown said he believed the commitment was justified. He also noted that defense attorneys faced a substantial increase in court time because of the docket and said that burden should be acknowledged.

Within his own office, Brown said deputy state's attorney Elisabeth Fainberg devoted all of her time to the docket, attending every hearing and keeping the office updated daily. He added that victim’s advocate Leah James carried much of the additional work generated by the program.

Brown said court officials recognized the value of the docket and agreed to keep it going with support from the Governor’s Office. He said weekly discussions with state officials have continued throughout the process.

Mimi Brill, supervising attorney of the Windham County Public Defender’s Office, said the initiative stretched her office thin and limited its ability to handle other matters. She said the program may have helped reduce backlogged cases, but it did not solve broader problems such as homelessness.

Brill said some people responded well to the structured setting, but argued that Vermont still lacks the level of substance use disorder treatment and mental health care needed to address the underlying issues. She said more intensive inpatient options lasting 90 days would be more effective than what is currently available locally.