Gov. Peter Shumlin has announced the appointment of attorney Barry D. Peterson of Fletcher as Magistrate Judge of the Family Division of Vermont’s Superior Courts. Peterson has held the post in an acting capacity in Chittenden, Lamoille, and Franklin counties as needed in recent years.
“Barry’s broad experience, both in law and in his community, make him the perfect fit for Family Division Magistrate,” Gov. Shumlin said. “He has already served in this role in an acting capacity, so he’ll hit the ground running.”
Peterson, whose office is in Jericho, joined his wife, Lori J. Ruple, to start the law firm Peterson & Ruple in 1988. There he has focused on family law and represented clients in real estate, bankruptcy, small business and personal injury matters.
In addition to serving as Acting Magistrate, he has sat as Acting Judge on small claims cases in Lamoille Superior Court on a regular basis. Peterson also has been a Cooperating Attorney with Vermont Legal Aid/Law Line of Vermont, doing substantially reduced fee bankruptcies for low-income Vermonters since 2005 and has served as Guardian Ad Litem in family law cases.
In his community, Peterson has coached youth sports for many years, and served as a member of the Fletcher Elementary School board from 1993 to 2005. He graduated from Pace University in New York in 1980 and from Vermont Law School in 1985. He has two children, 23 year old daughter Kelsey and 21 year old son Carter.
