State v. Doyen

In this case, we decide whether Vermont has jurisdiction to prosecute the offense of custodial interference, 13 V.S.A. § 2451, where the defendant commits no act within Vermont. The trial court dismissed the charge against defendant, reasoning that the alleged conduct took place in New Hampshire, Hawaii, and other states, but not in Vermont. The State contends that where the child and the child’s lawful custodian are residents of Vermont, Vermont retains jurisdiction to prosecute the offense, regardless of where the child is held or kept by defendant. We reverse the trial court’s dismissal…