The Hon. Michael Kainen is a judge for the Vermont Superior Court. He was appointed to the bench by former Governor Peter Shumlin in 2016, filling the vacancy created by the retirement of the Hon. John Wesley.
Kainen has held assignments in the Civil, Criminal, Family, and Probate Divisions in Caledonia County and the Civil, Criminal, and Family Divisions in Essex County. He has also presided in Bennington and Windham Counties.
Prior to his appointment, Kainen was the State’s Attorney in Windsor County. Before his role as lead prosecutor, he was a deputy state’s attorney in Orange County and a private practice attorney. During that time, Kainen managed his own solo practice (1993 to 2007) and was of counsel at Hayes & Windish, APC. His practice included civil litigation and criminal defense matters.
Kainen also served as an acting district judge in Orange and Windsor Counties, was the executive director of the Vermont Sentencing Commission (2007 to 2008), and was a member of the Vermont House of Representatives (1998 to 2006). As a member of the state legislature, he served on the House Judiciary Committee and House Judicial Rules Committee.
Kainen received a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Connecticut in 1988. He then completed a J.D. and an M.S.L. at Vermont Law School.
He and his wife have three children. The couple also spent five years as licensed foster parents (1995 to 2000).