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Governor Phil Scott Selects Karen Russell Carroll as Vermont Supreme Court Justice

March 23, 2017

Montpelier, Vt. – Governor Phil Scott has selected Karen Russell Carroll of Vernon, Vt. to serve on the Vermont Supreme Court. Carroll will be appointed on April 1 to replace retiring Justice John Dooley. Carroll must be confirmed by the Vermont State Senate.

“The Vermont Supreme Court serves a vital role in protecting our state’s Constitution, upholding our laws, ensuring fairness in our systems and the accountability of our institutions,” said Gov. Scott. “Appointing a Justice to the Vermont Supreme Court, or any court, is an important responsibility, and one I take very seriously. Among a pool of very strong and capable candidates, Judge Carroll distinguished herself based on her depth of experience, character, integrity, and – most importantly – understanding and application of the law.”

In December 2000, Judge Carroll was appointed a Superior Court Judge and has since presided in the Family, Criminal and Civil Divisions of the Superior Courts in Windham, Windsor and Bennington Counties. Prior to that, she worked for six years with the Vermont Attorney General's Office as the prosecutor for the Southern Vermont Drug Task Force. During this time, she was also cross-designated as a Special Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Vermont and prosecuted serious drug cases in the U.S. District Court. 

From 1988 to 1994, Judge Carroll was a Deputy State's Attorney in Windham County, prosecuting serious felony cases and assigned as Chief Deputy State’s Attorney for most of that time. She is a former chair of the State Board of Continuing Legal Education and current chair of the Vermont Judiciary Criminal Division Oversight Committee. 

A native Vermonter, Judge Carroll graduated from Proctor High School and from Salve Regina College in Newport, R.I. with a Bachelor of Arts and Sciences Degree in Criminal Justice and English and French
Literature. She earned her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Vermont Law School in 1988. 

Judge Carroll was selected by Governor Scott from a pool of eight strong and talented candidates, each nominated by Vermont’s Judicial Nominating Board.