Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 06.pdf/212

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The Supreme Court of Vermont. as statements of what was then the law of the land. They were published in 1809 and 18 10. The next volume, by William Brayton, is in the nature of a digest, the subjects being arranged alphabetically, and contains cases tried in 1815-19.

In October, 1823, the Legislature authorized the Governor to appoint a reporter of the decisions, provid ing for him the salary of $400 annually; he was entitled to the profits arising from the publication of the reports. It was his duty, by his personal attendance, and by other means in his power, to obtain true and authentic reports already made or which might be made thereafter, as he thought were of suf ficient importance, and to publish the same annually. In November, 1825, $ 200 were added to his salary, and he was required to faithfully attend the Supreme HENRY Court in person at every session, for the purpose of learning the decisions. Under the act of 1823, Daniel Chipman was appointed reporter, and he published Vol. I. of his reports in four parts. They were issued separately, bound in paper, and upon the completion of the fourth part an index was prepared, and the parts bound in one volume. Included in the first part are twelve cases reported by N. Chipman, and several that were heard in 1797. The remain ing part of Vol. I. and the first part of Vol. II., which is the only part of that volume printed, and which now is called

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Vol. II. of Daniel Chipman's reports, contain reports of cases from 1813 to 1824. The volumes named contain cases prior to the reorganization of the court in 1825; they are principally jury trials, including some writs of error which were brought to the Supreme Court. Upon the change in the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, when it became exclusively a court for the dispo sition of legal ques tions, Asa Aikens of Windsor, who had served as one of the judges, was appoint ed reporter, and two volumes were issued by him and called by his name, the 1st and 2d Aikens. In 1828 it was made the duty of the judges of the court to prepare their opin ions for publication, and deliver them to the Secretary ofState, and the sum of $125 per annum was added to their salary, and in the following year the Governorwas author R. START. ized to appoint some suitable person to prepare the cases for publication, and when bound to deposit the same in the office of the Secretary of State. Under these acts, several volumes of reports were issued, but in 1837, the Legislature were required to elect a reporter of the decisions, whose duty it was to edit and publish the cases heard in the Supreme Court, and in 1876 the ap pointment of the reporter was given to the Supreme Court. A volume of reports has been prepared and issued annually since 1828, the last volume being No. 65. The present reporter is Charles A. Prouty of Newport.