Vermont Bar Journal, Vol. 40, No. 2 Vermont Bar Journal, Fall 2018, Vol. 44, No. 3 | Page 26

WHAT’S NEW?
2017-2018 Sections and Divisions Annual Report
APPELLATE LAW SECTION
Chairs: Benjamin Battles and Bridget
Asay, Esqs.
The Appellate Section is planning a CLE
program for early next year on State Con-
stitutional Law. In the meantime, a quick
update on the appellate rules: the “day is
a day” rule changes took effect on January
1, 2018, and changed many familiar dead-
lines. Practitioners should also know that
the Court changed the automatic appeal
rule for defendants sentenced to life im-
prisonment and adopted a prison mailbox
rule.  See  VRAP 3(b)(2), 10(b)(3), and 4(f).
Was the key piece of evidence in your trial a
blown-up photo, oversize map, or 300-page
appraisal? Under the now-permanent Rule
11(b)(3), the superior court clerk will not au-
tomatically send unusually bulky documents
or physical evidence to the Supreme Court.
Make sure to ask if it’s important to your ap-
peal -- and you may need to help transport
it.
BANKRUPTCY LAW SECTION
Chair: Heather Cooper, Esq.
The Bankruptcy Law Section fulfills its
mission of promoting professional educa-
tion and service to the bar and community
through various initiatives. The Annual VBA
Bankruptcy Holiday CLE and Luncheon was
held on December 1, 2017 and was well at-
tended, as usual. The Bankruptcy Section
considered bankruptcy specific issues relat-
ing to revised local rules and the transition
to the National Chapter 13 Plan which is be-
ing used in Vermont. In addition, those in at-
tendance discussed succession planning is-
sues that relate to practitioners’ ethical re-
sponsibilities in a more general context. The
section heard from members who are both
in the process of transitioni