The VLW Blog

Tysons Corner lawyer Brian F. Kenney has been named to a pending opening on the federal bankruptcy bench in Alexandria.
He will succeed U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Stephen S. Mitchell, who was named to the court in 1994 and who will retire Aug. 31. Kenney, who was appointed by the judges of the 4th U.S. Circuit [...]

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Charleston, W.Va., attorney Stephanie Thacker is expected to be President Obama’s pick for an open seat on the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
While no official announcement has been made, several sources have confirmed the impending nomination, the West Virginia Record reports. Thacker would replace M. Blane Michael, who died earlier this year.
Thacker is an [...]

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A proposed reduction in the number of circuit judges for Arlington and Alexandria brought out Arlington bar leaders in force last night at a hearing on proposed realignment of the state’s judicial boundaries.
Arlington had four circuit judges until earlier this year when Judge Benjamin N.A. Kendrick retired. Judge James F. Almand also has announced his [...]

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If Virginia judges are feeling a lack of love, maybe they should consider the plight of their judicial brethren in New York.
Judges there haven’t had a pay raise in 12 years, according to an article in The New York Times that examines what it perceives as dwindling prestige for judges in New York and the [...]

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The Virginia Supreme Court panel studying proposed new judicial circuits and districts has announced details of the six public comment sessions it will hold in July. The first meeting, in Abingdon, is set for Thursday, July 7.
The full meeting schedule is as follows:
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 6:00 p.m. – Far Southwest Virginia
Learning Resource Center, [...]

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The message was familiar, but recent events have provided new ammunition for 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Steven Agee as he encourages lawyers to stand up for the third branch of government.
Agee said he perceives a “disconnect” between the importance of the judiciary and legislative budget decisions leaving judgeships unfilled.
“It is a real [...]

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Did you hear the one about the allegedly drunken judge arrested on his way to a toga party? Actually, he was arrested wearing a bedsheet. And he was at a judicial conference, so it’s unlikely there was a toga party on the agenda.
A Pennsylvania magisterial district judge named Douglas Gummo was arrested by cops [...]

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One defamation trial could lead to another as a Richmond circuit judge is seeking $1.35 million against a newspaper that allegedly accused the judge of playing politics with lawyers.
Judge Melvin Hughes filed suit last week against the publisher of “The Richmond Voice” in Chesterfield County Circuit Court.
At issue was an article in the paper describing [...]

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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 to [...]

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The House Appropriations Committee and the Senate Finance Committee are polar opposites on the issue of thawing the freeze on filling judicial vacancies.
The Senate committee recommended spending $4.8 million, which would be enough to fill all the vacancies. Not a dime for that purpose under the House committee’s budget.
The House panel would restore all of [...]

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