Going to trial can be complicated. Consider talking to an attorney. See the Finding Legal Help web page for information about the ways to get the help of an attorney.
The VTLawHelp website has information about eviction trials on their Court Process: Steps in an Eviction Case web page under Before Trial and Going to Trial.
The Going to Court web page has information about getting ready for a trial.
At the eviction trial, the judge will hear from both parties, consider any evidence presented, and will decide:
Whether the tenant can be evicted.
Whether the tenant owes money to the landlord.
Whether the landlord owes money to the tenant.
Any other issues either party raised.
The judge may make their decision at the end of the trial, or sometime later. The court will send a copy of written decision to the parties.
The parties must notify the court and the other party – in writing – about any changes to their contact information. A party who doesn’t update their information may miss important court notices and other papers.
Parties can use the Notice of Name Change or Change of Address (form 600-00846) to update their information any time it changes. The form can be found in the Forms section at the bottom of this web page.
Appeal
If either party feels the judge made a legal mistake in their decision, they may file an appeal with the Vermont Supreme Court. The forms to file an appeal can be found in the Forms section at the bottom of this web page.
Writ of Possession
If the judge decides the tenant can be evicted, they will issue a court order called a Writ of Possession, which returns possession of the property to the landlord. The landlord must have a sheriff serve the Writ of Possession on the tenant.