The VLW Blog

Senators and delegates appear to agree that the time is at hand to look at redistricting the state’s judicial circuits and districts, but the members of the House Courts of Justice Committee are more insistent about making it happen than their Senate counterparts.
This afternoon, the House Courts of Justice Committee reported House Bill 1990 to [...]

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Newport News Circuit Judge Aundria D. Foster has notified the court that she will retire on April 1, 2011.
Although her term does not expire until 2012, she is stepping down due to a family medical situation.
Judge Foster’s departure will leave an open seat in the 7th Judicial Circuit. Newport News Chief Judge H. Vincent [...]

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Frederick County Circuit Judge John Prosser has announced he will retire in March.
The Northern Virginia Daily reports Prosser advised the public Monday, after notifying the Supreme Court on Friday.
Prosser, a former Winchester lawyer, was first appointed to the bench in 1997 by then-Gov. George Allen. The vacancy was created when the General Assembly balked at [...]

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Leroy R. Hassell Jr., son of the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia, pleaded guilty to robbery and two other charges Thursday, apparently with no deal on sentencing, reports the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
A life sentence is possible, according to the paper.
Hassell admitted taking part in a two-man robbery using an “airsoft” gun, a type [...]

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The one misdemeanor charge that emerged from a special grand jury investigation of the Franklin County sheriff’s office now has been dismissed on the motion of a special prosecutor.
The grand jury investigation produced a report critical of management at the office of Sheriff Ewell Hunt and led to a legislative appearance for Franklin County Circuit [...]

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The Fairfax Bar Association’s convention last week at The Tides Inn in Irvington provided an opportunity for banter and good humor not always present when one of the county’s 15 circuit judges is in earshot.
At least one was in hearing distance when an attorney commented about the “30 or 45 personalities on the court.”

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Wise County Circuit Judge Joseph R. Carico resigned last Thursday, according to a Supreme Court of Virginia spokeswoman.
His two colleagues on the 30th Circuit bench announced in early June that Carico would not be hearing cases until further notice, and sources with some knowledge of the situation said the resignation occurred after a hearing last [...]

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The judges of the 23rd Judicial Circuit of Virginia unanimously elected William D. Broadhurst as chief judge. His two-year term began July 1.
Judge Broadhurst succeeds Charles N. Dorsey as chief judge of the circuit, which includes the City of Roanoke, the City of Salem and Roanoke County.

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NORFOLK – Chief Justice Leroy Rountree Hassell Sr. says he will not invoke his constitutional power to reassign judges to courts suffering under heavy caseloads.
His declaration came earlier today during his State of the Judiciary address to Virginia circuit court judges gathered for the annual Judicial Conference.
Hassell said Article VI, Section 4 of the Virginia [...]

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U.S. Magistrate Judge Mike Urbanski has picked up another endorsement in his bid to move up the judicial ladder at the federal courthouse.
Urbanski Monday was recommended by the Salem/Roanoke County Bar Association for a seat on the U.S. District Court bench. The position will become available when Judge Norman Moon takes senior status in July. [...]

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