Why It Matters
A Vermont county prosecutor can no longer practice law after the state’s highest court imposed an immediate license suspension tied to a drunken driving case. The ruling leaves Addison County without a fully functioning state’s attorney, requiring other offices to step in for court proceedings and case prosecutions.
Under Vermont law, an elected state’s attorney does not need an active law license to hold office, but the suspension bars the official from performing legal duties including court appearances and filing legal documents.
What Happened
The Vermont Supreme Court voted 4-1 on Friday to suspend Addison County State’s Attorney Eva Vekos’ law license while professional conduct proceedings continue. The suspension stems from a January 2024 DUI arrest in which police accused Vekos of arriving impaired at a suspicious death investigation scene in Bridport.
Vekos pleaded no contest to the charge in December 2025 and received a deferred sentence. If she avoids legal trouble for six months, the conviction can be expunged from her record.
The Vermont Professional Responsibility Board, which oversees attorney conduct, had requested the immediate suspension. Jon Alexander, counsel for the board, argued that the circumstances surrounding the arrest — including Vekos’ alleged conduct at the scene and subsequent interactions with officers — elevated the offense beyond a typical misdemeanor.
By The Numbers
The court’s majority opinion found the facts surrounding the conviction met the threshold for a “serious crime” warranting immediate suspension. Justice Christina Nolan dissented, writing that the board failed to demonstrate a first-time misdemeanor DUI qualifies as a serious crime under the state’s Professional Responsibility Program Rules.
No formal disciplinary petition has been filed against Vekos. The suspension takes effect immediately, though she remains in her elected position.
What’s Next
Vekos will continue serving as Addison County state’s attorney but is restricted to administrative tasks. Tim Lueders-Dumont, executive director of Vermont’s Department of State’s Attorneys and Sheriffs, said his office and others will assist with prosecuting cases in Addison County during the suspension period.
“She is constitutionally and democratically the state’s attorney, but she cannot perform legal functions of an attorney,” Lueders-Dumont said Friday.
David Sleigh, Vekos’ attorney, called the ruling premature. “From our point of view, it’s the cart before the horse,” he said, noting a formal disciplinary case has not yet been filed.
The license suspension will remain in place while the Professional Responsibility Board proceeds with its disciplinary case against Vekos.