An investiture ceremony for Associate Justice Michael Drescher took place at the Vermont Supreme Court on February 25, 2026. The event was attended by a full courtroom that included members of the judiciary, government officials, and Justice Drescher’s family and friends.
Chief Justice Paul Reiber opened the ceremony, joined on the bench by Associate Justices Harold Eaton, Nancy Waples, and Christina Nolan. Among those present were Governor Phil Scott, former Chief Justice Jeffrey Amestoy, U.S. Second Circuit Judge Beth Robinson, U.S. District Court Judges Geoffrey Crawford and William Sessions, U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin Doyle, Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark, as well as many colleagues from the legal community.
Tom Anderson served as emcee for the event. He introduced Justice Harold Eaton who offered remarks about the responsibilities of a Supreme Court justice. The program continued with personal reflections from Justice Drescher’s daughters Carolyn and Sunny Drescher and comments from Governor Scott regarding the appointment process.
Justice Drescher’s wife Chrissie Drescher and their daughters assisted him during the robing portion of the ceremony. Afterward, Justice Drescher addressed those in attendance before joining his colleagues on the bench.
The Vermont Judiciary operates throughout all counties via 14 Superior Court units to provide access to justice across the state (official website). It serves as a coequal branch of government under Vermont’s constitution with responsibilities including attorney discipline and judicial rulemaking (official website). The judiciary also delivers impartial justice through accessible forums for dispute resolution to protect rights and public safety (official website).
Additionally, specialized courts address family law matters, criminal cases, environmental issues; language interpreting services and mediation are available to support participants in legal proceedings (official website). The judiciary collaborates with programs such as Guardian ad Litem to advocate for children in abuse or neglect cases (official website). Community safety is promoted through treatment-focused dockets for substance use and mental health concerns (official website).
A video recording of the full ceremony is available online.
