Senior U.S. District Judge Jackson L. Kiser was regaled by colleagues and friends Monday as he received the Roger L. Groot Professionalism Award from the Ted Dalton American Inn of Court in Salem.
Kiser, a former Martinsville lawyer, was appointed to the federal bench by President Reagan in 1981. His noteworthy decisions include a ruling that Virginia Military Institute could continue to exclude women. That decision was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1996.
A judge known for demanding punctuality from counsel, Kiser once fined himself for a late appearance in court.
The Ted Dalton Inn of Court, made up of judges, lawyers and students from southwest Virginia, promotes civility and professionalism in legal practice.
By Peter Vieth
