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Judge declines to block appointment of Orleans County state’s attorney
A Northeast Kingdom defense attorney had sought to prevent Farzana Leyva from being sworn in to a four-year term as county prosecutor. But Superior Court Judge Daniel Richardson declined to take immediate action. Photo courtesy of the governor’s office
A Northeast Kingdom attorney is challenging Gov. Phil Scott’s appointment of Farzana Leyva as Orleans County state’s attorney, argued that a full-term vacancy can only be filled by special election.
But in an order issued Wednesday, shortly before Leyva was sworn in, Superior Court Judge Daniel Richardson denied the request to block Leyva from taking office. Instead, Richardson gave the attorney,…