By Tim Gudas
With the calendar having turned from 2023 to 2024, temperatures may be dropping but planning for the 51st annual conference in Burlington is heating up. The Program Committee, chaired by Polly Brock (CO), is putting together an exciting and informative agenda of educational sessions and speakers. Casey Forbes — recently appointed Clerk of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia and the Intermediate Court of Appeals of West Virginia — is organizing Vendor Day to keep us all abreast of
available technology and other products that have the potential to make our courts run more smoothly.
In keeping with the schedule that worked so well in Detroit last summer, expect the core of the week to play out as follows:
Sunday — registration; family and new member orientation; business meeting (part I); educational program in the afternoon; evening reception; education fund auction; and Morgan Thomas slideshow.
Bring an item for the auction and bid aggressively, all for a good cause!
Monday — full day of educational programming. We’ll cap off our day with a social event on the Spirit of Ethan Allen for a dinner cruise on Lake Champlain, which is just a short bus ride away from
our hotel.
Tuesday — full day of educational programming and vendor sessions, followed by an
evening social event at the Burlington waterfront. We’ll be staying on land for this
one, but enjoying the lake from the ECHO Leahy Center, a science and nature
museum, https://www.echovermont.org.
Wednesday — educational sessions in the morning. The afternoon is yours to catch
up on email, return phone calls, play in the Joe Lane Memorial Golf Tournament, or
explore Burlington and the surrounding area. Check out this website for food,
recreation, and culture ideas: https://www.helloburlingtonvt.com
Thursday — educational sessions in the morning; business meeting (part II); and
awards luncheon.
The conference page on the website will be updated as these plans get more detailed.
In the meantime, if you have questions about logistics or activities, please contact me at
tgudas@courts.state.nh.us. I look forward to seeing you in Burlington!