Vermont Supreme Court Suspends Addison County State’s Attorney’s Law License After DUI Conviction
Why It Matters
In Vermont, the state Supreme Court has suspended the law license of Addison County State’s Attorney Eva Vekos, raising serious questions about the ability of an elected prosecutor to fulfill her duties while under professional discipline. The ruling creates an unusual legal situation in which Vekos retains her elected office but is barred from performing core prosecutorial functions, including appearing in court or filing legal briefs.
The case highlights how a criminal conviction — even a first-time misdemeanor — can trigger immediate professional consequences for an officer of the court, and what that means for the communities they serve.
What Happened
The Vermont Supreme Court ruled 4-1 to immediately suspend Vekos’ law license while formal disciplinary proceedings stemming from her DUI conviction continue. The decision followed a hearing last month in which attorneys for Vekos and counsel for the Vermont Professional Responsibility Board — the state panel overseeing attorney conduct — presented competing arguments about the necessity and timing of a suspension.
The court sided with Jon Alexander, counsel for the state board, who had requested the immediate suspension. “We conclude that the facts surrounding respondent’s DUI conviction here, taken together, support the conclusion that respondent was convicted of a ‘serious crime’ warranting her immediate interim suspension,” the court’s ruling stated.
Justice Christina Nolan issued the lone dissent, writing that disciplinary counsel had “failed to make the requisite demonstration” that Vekos’ first-time misdemeanor DUI conviction qualified as a “serious crime” as defined under Vermont’s Professional Responsibility Program Rules.
Vekos was originally arrested on the night of January 25, 2024, after police accused her of arriving impaired at the scene of a suspicious death investigation in Bridport, Vermont. In the days following her arrest, Vekos engaged in an email exchange with law enforcement leaders in Addison County in which she reportedly stated she no longer felt safe around police and mocked their grammatical skills.
Vekos pleaded no contest to the DUI charge in December 2025, and her sentence was deferred for six months. If she avoids further legal trouble during that period, the conviction may be cleared from her record.
By the Numbers
- 4-1: The Supreme Court vote in favor of immediately suspending Vekos’ law license
- January 25, 2024: Date of Vekos’ DUI arrest in Bridport, Vermont
- December 2025: Month Vekos entered a no-contest plea to the DUI charge
- 6 months: Length of Vekos’ deferred sentence — the period she must remain out of legal trouble for the conviction to be cleared
- 0: Number of formal disciplinary petitions filed against Vekos as of the court’s ruling
Zoom Out
The case raises broader questions across the country about the standards applied to elected prosecutors who face criminal charges. Unlike appointed attorneys, elected state’s attorneys hold offices established by state constitution, which can create a gap between professional licensing requirements and the democratic mandate given by voters.
In Vermont, state law does not require a law license to hold the position of state’s attorney — but it does restrict an unlicensed holder from practicing law, appearing in court, or filing legal briefs. That limitation effectively reduces the role to administrative oversight, placing the actual prosecution of cases in the hands of other attorneys. Vermont’s other state-level legal offices will now coordinate to ensure continued prosecution of cases in Addison County.
The situation also underscores growing scrutiny of prosecutorial conduct nationwide, particularly when the individuals responsible for enforcing the law become subjects of criminal proceedings themselves. The Addison County case adds to that conversation given the circumstances of Vekos’ arrest — at the scene of a law enforcement investigation — and her subsequent communications with officers.
What’s Next
Vekos retains her elected position as Addison County State’s Attorney despite the license suspension. Tim Lueders-Dumont, executive director of Vermont’s Department of State’s Attorneys and Sheriffs, confirmed she remains constitutionally in office but cannot perform legal functions. “It’s going to be a group effort,” he said, indicating that his office and others would assist in handling prosecutions.
Vekos’ attorney, David Sleigh, said he was disappointed by the ruling and had not yet had the opportunity to speak with his client. “From our point of view, it’s the cart before the horse,” Sleigh said, noting that a formal disciplinary petition has not yet been filed against Vekos.
A formal petition and further disciplinary proceedings are expected to follow. The outcome of those proceedings, combined with the resolution of Vekos’ deferred sentence, will determine the long-term professional and legal standing of the Addison County prosecutor.
For more on Vermont civic and community developments, see our coverage of Champlain Valley School District’s consideration of a potential merger of two community middle schools.