The VLW Blog

Supporters of the 14 drug court programs in Virginia have two reasons to celebrate this week. Most importantly, the legislature approved another year of existence for the court-run diversion program, but there’s also national recognition for a video documentary on the project. The video, “The Arrest is Only the Beginning: How Virginia Drug Courts Succeed” [...]

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Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, is one week from tomorrow, on March 8. Be careful how you celebrate in the workplace. If you’re thinking of bringing in a colorful King Cake to share with your office-mates, maybe you should think twice. The King Cake is not just a pastry. It’s a potent symbol of Christian [...]

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The University of Richmond has named Georgetown Law Center assistant dean Wendy Perdue as dean of the UR law school, to succeed John Douglass who is stepping down to return full time to the classroom. “She was the clear first choice of our stakeholders, and we’re delighted she will be joining us this summer,” said [...]

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The General Assembly recessed tonight until April 4 after approving a budget that includes money to fill 21 judgeships that the legislature froze in its 2010 session. The legislature also rejected the proposal of Gov. Robert F. McDonnell that it take $5 million from the reserve fund of the Virginia State Bar and agreed to [...]

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The initial word from the Senate Finance Committee staff is that House and Senate budget conferees have agreed to appropriate $3.72 million to fill judicial vacancies, to leave the Virginia State Bar budget intact and to fund the state’s drug courts. Details of the budget were not available this morning as the committee staff worked [...]

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Salem lawyer Greg Phillips fell victim to a larcenous ex-girlfriend, according to federal authorities. Rebekkah Ferrell of Roanoke pleaded guilty Wednesday to bank fraud charges that could land her in prison for up to 30 years. After leaving a job at Phillips office, she went to work at Wells Fargo Bank where she admits taking [...]

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The Virginia State Bar wants to know what you think about the fitness of Del. Joe Morrissey, D-Henrico, to practice law. Morrissey has petitioned the VSB to restore his license, which was revoked in April 2003, and a hearing on the request is set for April 22. The state bar is asking for written comments [...]

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Proponents of reinstating mandatory IOLTA as a tool to raise money for legal aid appear to have stumbled at the first step. The Supreme Court of Virginia approved mandatory IOLTA, the acronym for Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts, on a 4-3 vote in 1993, much to the consternation of state bankers. Two years later, the [...]

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The State Corporation Commission is again beefing up its online capabilities, now giving commercial lenders and others the option of filing UCC financing statements through its website. A news release says the SCC’s “eFile” site allows electronic submission of UCC-1 and UCC-3 documents as well as the associated filing fees. The SCC clerk’s office processed [...]

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Senior U.S. District Judge Richard L. Williams, a founder of what is now McGuireWoods LLP and a federal judge for more than 30 years, died at his home on Feb. 19. He was 87. A native of Morrisville, Judge Williams joined the U.S. Army Signal Corps after graduating from high school and survived the Japanese [...]

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