The VLW Blog

As debate rages over how and where to try accused terror mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, a Virginia federal judge with terror trial experience will address the management of high visibility cases this month at Washington & Lee University.
U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema will speak at W&L on Tuesday, March 16. According to the school, Brinkema [...]

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The chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit says he will retire, according to The Wall Street Journal.  Paul Michel made the announcement Friday evening.  Circuit Judge Randall Rader will become chief judge on June 1.
According to the paper, Michel surprised many listeners Friday by saying he will be retiring [...]

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Five more bar organization have submitted their endorsements for a vacancy on the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals or for a district court opening in the Eastern District of Virginia.
The Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys endorsed Barbara Milano Keenan, Patricia A. Millett and John Charles Thomas for the 4th Circuit, and Randy I. Bellows, [...]

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The Virginia Bar Association and the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association have both recommended Sen. John S. Edwards and Virginia Supreme Court Justice Barbara Milano Keenan for a vacancy on the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and U.S. Magistrate Judge M. Hannah Lauck for a judgeship in the Eastern District of Virginia.
Although the lists share that [...]

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February 19 and 20 are going to be loooong days for judicial nominating committees. The committees of several bar groups plan to interview candidates those days for vacancies on the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and U.S. District Court in Richmond, and twenty-six people have asked to be considered for one seat or the [...]

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Former Virginia Supreme Court Justice John Charles Thomas is among those who have told the Virginia State Bar that they are interested in a seat on the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
A current member of the Supreme Court, Justice Barbara Milano Keenan, also has told the bar that she wants to be considered for [...]

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Another year-end report on the federal judiciary from U.S. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., another request for more money for judges.
Roberts notes that Congress came close last year to restoring cost-of-living salary adjustments that judges have not received in past years. But not only did that effort fail, Roberts notes, “Congress failed, once again, [...]

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Richmond federal judges have some observations about the new courthouse at Seventh and Broad streets on the Richmond Bar Association’s Web site. The judges think the new courtrooms are more lawyer and juror friendly, with better acoustics and technology. They encouraged attorneys to visit the courtrooms and familiarize themselves with that technology before trying to [...]

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The New York Times has an analysis of the appointments by President George W. Bush to the federal appellate courts.
During Bush’s tenure, the percentage of appellate judges appointed by Republican presidents has gone from 50 percent to 62 percent, and 10 of the 13 federal appellate courts now have majorities appointed by Republicans, The Times [...]

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The Senate has confirmed Alexandria attorney Anthony Trenga’s nomination to a federal judgeship in the Eastern District of Virginia, reports the Associated Press.
Trenga was one of five lawyers Senators Jim Webb and John Warner recommended for the federal bench in a letter to President Bush  in June 2007. In a joint statement Friday, Warner and [...]

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