Former Vt. Supreme Court Justice James Morse dies at 82

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - Former Vermont Supreme Court Justice James Morse died Friday at the age of 82.

Morse was appointed to the high court by Governor Madeleine Kunin in 1988 and served as a member of the judiciary for 22 years.

In addition to public service in Vermont, Morse participated in rule-of-law initiatives in Russia and Ukraine and was a consultant to the war crimes tribunal at Sarajevo in Bosnia.

After retiring from the bench in 2003, Morse served nearly three years as a commissioner for the Agency of Human Services re-organizing economic services, child protection, early child care and education, and juvenile justice into the Department for Children and Families. He fully retired in October 2005.

Family members say “he was passionately committed to the constitutional promise of justice for all and making life better for everyone in our brave little state and beyond.”

A memorial service will be held at a later date in the spring.