Caledonia County State’s Attorney Jessica Zaleski plans to resign as the county’s top prosecutor on July 25.
The Caledonian Record first reported the decision last week.
In an interview, Zaleski said the choice was sparked by a desire to move closer to her parents in North Dakota. She’s tapped Claire Burns, a deputy state’s attorney, to take over the office in an interim capacity.
State’s attorneys in Vermont are elected every four years. Following a resignation, the local political party of the resigning prosecutor submits names to the governor for consideration. The governor then appoints a replacement — typically from the list of suggested candidates.
Though she cited family reasons for her departure, Zaleski noted that “everything” about the job had changed during her tenure, making the work more challenging.
“The caseload, the volume of violent crime — particularly homicides — the inability to properly staff the office in a way that controls and manages the workload,” she said.
The judicial system would benefit from more staff in all roles, Zaleski said, including defense attorneys and judges.
Vermont’s stubborn court backlog, exacerbated during Covid-19, has been a constant focus for prosecutors, the defense bar and lawmakers in recent years.
According to data from the Vermont Department of State’s Attorneys and Sheriffs, most prosecutors have more than 200 criminal cases on their docket. Since the end of 2023, the number of pending homicide dockets statewide has increased by about 30%, from 90 to 117, as of May. Zaleski’s office has prosecuted a number of high-profile shootings and homicides, including a case involving a 15-year-old charged with second-degree murder last year.
Caledonia County has the second most severe case backlog in the state, according to state data, measured by the percent of pending cases older than the state’s disposition guidelines recommend.
Reflecting on the challenges she’s encountered on the job, Zaleski cited frustrations with Vermont’s juvenile justice system, particularly the lack of a secure detention facility for children and youth offenders. In the rural Northeast Kingdom, accessing resources — like mental health and substance use treatment — is a constant concern for community members, she said.
Despite the job’s difficulties, the prosecutor said there was much to enjoy about her work.
“The experience generally has been exhausting but incredibly fulfilling. I’m very proud of the work that we’ve done under incredible pressure and lack of resources,” she said.
Zaleski is one of at least three prosecutors to leave office in the past year. Former Windham County State’s Attorney Tracy Kelly Shriver stepped down mid-term in July 2024. Last month, longtime Windham County Deputy State’s Attorney David Gartenstein retired.
