Hon. David Suntag is a trained mediator and Certified Justice System Coach. He has been a State of Vermont trial court judge since 1990, taking active/retired status in 2015 after more than 25 years on the bench. Judge Suntag brings both breadth and depth to his understanding of the issues justice system professionals face. He has presided over criminal, family, and civil docket courts as well as multi-jurisdictional rural courts.  

Judge Suntag has been a faculty member of the National Judicial College since 2004. He has worked with judicial
officers across the country on personally challenging issues such as demeanor, handling cases involving self-represented litigants, dealing with difficult people in the courtroom and many others to help improve job satisfaction and performance.

Prior to being appointed to the bench, he practiced law as a trial attorney.  He held the positions of Chief of the Vermont Attorney General’s Criminal Justice Division and Chief Counsel to the Vermont Commissioner of Corrections. Judge Suntag served for six years as a co-chair of the Vermont Council on Family Violence. Working closely with community leaders and court staff, he helped create and presided over the first integrated domestic violence docket in Vermont, an innovative program which is highlighted in his article in the National Center for
State Court’s (NCSC) “New Trends in State Courts 2013” publication. He has been a member of the Family Violence Advisory Committee of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ), former chairman and member of the Vermont Criminal Division Oversight Committee and the Vermont Criminal Rules Committee.  He serves as a judicial advisor to the New York University School of Law (NYU) Civil Jury Project. Judge Suntag is a nationally recognized presenter on many judicial system topics.

“The role of a trial court judge demands adherence to ethical standards which can lead to a life of greater isolation than in most other professions. This, in turn, can lead to personal and professional struggles that are hard to understand and address while focusing on the myriad and complex demands of the day to day work. I wish I had access to a justice system coach while I was struggling during those times of challenge.”

Judge Suntag can be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..