State v. Mills

Each of these four criminal cases was decided adversely to defendant by a three-justice panel convened pursuant to V.R.A.E 33.1. Defendants now request that the full Court vacate the decisions, arguing that judicial action by less than a full complement of five justices of the Supreme Court is constitutionally deficient under Chapter II, §§ 29, 31 of the Vermont Constitution. We disagree and deny the motions to vacate.

Acting in response to the large backlogs and excessive delays that had developed in its operations, this Court in 1990 established a special summary procedure for simpler cases,…