Constitution · Vermont

Vt. Const. art. I, § 10

Constitution
Constitution of Vermont
Text as of
October 2026

What does this section say?

[Rights of persons accused of crime; personal liberty; waiver of jury trial] That in all prosecutions for criminal offenses, a person hath a right to be heard by oneself and by counsel; to demand the cause and nature of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses; to call for evidence in the person’s favor, and a speedy public trial by an impartial jury of the country; without the unanimous consent of which jury, the person cannot be found guilty; nor can a person be compelled to give evidence against oneself; nor can any person be justly deprived of liberty, except by the laws of the land, or the judgment of the person’s peers; provided, nevertheless, in criminal prosecutions for offenses not punishable by death, the accused, with the consent of the prosecuting officer entered of record, may in open court or by a writing signed by the accused and filed with the court, waive the right to a jury trial and submit the issue of the accused’s guilt to the determination and judgment of the court without a jury.

The text is copied from the official source: legislature.vermont.gov. This is the stored text for research. It is not legal advice; check the official source before you rely on it.

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