§ 5110. Conduct of hearings (a) Hearings under the juvenile judicial proceedings chapters shall be conducted by the court without a jury and shall be confidential. (b) The general public shall be excluded from hearings under the juvenile judicial proceedings chapters, and only the parties, their counsel, witnesses, persons accompanying a party for the party’s assistance, and such other persons as the court finds to have a proper interest in the case or in the work of the court, including a foster parent or a representative of a residential program where the child resides, may be admitted by the court. An individual without party status seeking inclusion in the hearing in accordance with this subsection may petition the court for admittance by filing a request with the clerk of the court. (c) There shall be no publicity given by any person to any proceedings under the authority of the juvenile judicial proceedings chapters except with the consent of the child, the child’s guardian ad litem, and the child’s parent, guardian, or custodian. A person who violates this provision may be subject to contempt proceedings pursuant to Rule 16 of the Vermont Rules for Family Proceedings. This subsection shall not prohibit a victim from discussing underlying facts of the alleged offense that resulted in death or physical, emotional, or financial injury to the victim, provided that, unless otherwise provided by law or court order, a victim shall not disclose what occurs during a court proceeding or information learned through a court proceeding that is not an underlying fact of the alleged offense that resulted in death or physical, emotional, or financial injury to the victim. (d) This section shall not prohibit a victim’s exercise of rights provided by section 5234 of this title and as otherwise provided by law.
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