Windsor County Prosecutor Appointed as Judge

A local and well-known prosecutor has been named to the position of state trial court judge in an announcement by Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin.

Michael Kainen, who is known as Windsor County’s top prosecutor was one of four lawyers appointed to the position, which was announced Monday by the Governor’s office. One of Kainen’s top deputies will assume his role once he steps into the court judge position, which he will be taking to fill the spot of Judge John Wesley.

Three of the four judge appointments were made to fill vacancies by the retirement of current judges and a fourth was made to help address increasing caseloads related to child protection and opiate-abuse across Vermont.

Governor Shumlin, in a press release, said of Kainen that, “his legal knowledge, people skills, and commitment to improving Vermont’s legal system make him a valued addition to the Vermont bench.”

Michael and his wife are residents of Hartford Vermont where they have three children.