Fairfax delegation picks 3 for circuit seats

VSB to Assembly: Please keep judgeships, drug courts

By Alan Cooper
Published: March 1, 2010
Tags: General Assembly, Judicial Selection, Virginia State Bar

The Virginia State Bar Council voted overwhelmingly Saturday to ask state legislators to appropriate enough money to maintain the current level of judges and to keep the state’s drug courts open. In drafting and presenting an understated motion to that effect, council member Brian Buniva of Richmond said, “We approach this humbly and with a [...]

Alexander grilled by House courts panel

By Alan Cooper
Published: February 18, 2010
Tags: General Assembly, Judge William N. Alexander II, Judicial Selection

Franklin County Circuit Judge William N. Alexander II was on his feet for about two hours yesterday listening to comments and answering questions from the judicial panel of the House Courts of Justice Committee. Alexander had lots of support. Among those praising his integrity and judicial ability were the people who usually matter the most [...]

Harrison keeps J&DR judgeship in Bedford

By Alan Cooper
Published: January 28, 2010
Tags: General Assembly, General District Courts, Judge R. Louis Harrison Jr., Judicial Selection

(Updated 1/29/10 10:10 a.m.)“One black mark” that R. Louis Harrison Jr. acknowledged did not keep him from being elected as a juvenile and domestic relations district judge in Bedford. The black mark was his involvement in the D-Day Memorial Foundation and what amounted to a guilty plea to wire fraud as part of a diversion [...]

Alexander is not on list as Assembly votes on judges

By Alan Cooper
Published: January 26, 2010
Tags: General Assembly, Judge William N. Alexander II, Judicial Selection

(Updated 1/29/10 – 10:20 a.m.) The General Assembly elected most of the incumbent judges up for reappointment last Tuesday but took no action on Franklin County Judge William N. Alexander II. Del. Bill Janis, R-Henrico, chairman of the judicial systems subcommittee of the House Courts of Justice, said Alexander’s name was pulled from consideration because [...]

Bedford J&DR judge fights to keep judgeship

By Alan Cooper
Published: January 20, 2010
Tags: General Assembly, General District Courts, Judge R. Louis Harrison Jr., Judicial Selection

R. Louis Harrison Jr. has the solid support of Bedford judges, lawyers and legislators for a juvenile and domestic relations district judgeship. But he acknowledged “one black mark” in his 26-year-legal career. “That’s a very ugly document that I signed, and I want to explain it,” he said. “If you voted against me because of [...]

Judicial Council recommends judicial retirement at age 73

By Virginia Lawyers Weekly
Published: January 18, 2010
Tags: Judicial Selection

The Virginia Judicial Council has submitted proposed legislation to the General Assembly that would increase the retirement age for judges to 73, pave the way for electronic filing in state courts and establish procedures when a judicial emergency exists. In a letter outlining the work of the judiciary that accompanied the annual report of the [...]

Griffith: Mims leads the field for high court

By Alan Cooper
Published: January 4, 2010
Tags: General Assembly, Judicial Selection, Supreme Court of Virginia

Outgoing Attorney General William C. Mims would be the clear front runner for a likely vacancy on the Supreme Court of Virginia now that it appears that Gov. Timothy M. Kaine will not be able to fill the seat. That’s the opinion of House Majority Leader H. Morgan Griffith, R-Salem, who quickly threw in two [...]

Back from the dead: Judicial performance evaluations

By Alan Cooper
Published: December 21, 2009
Tags: General Assembly, Judicial Selection

Some members of the Senate and House Courts of Justice Committee want to see the judicial performance evaluation program revived. A brief discussion of that possibility started after what was apparently an exceptionally glowing evaluation of Danville General District Judge M. Lee Stilwell Jr. Thursday during the committees’ review of incumbent judges who are up [...]