The VLW Blog

U.S. District Judge Jerome B. Friedman of Norfolk will take senior status Nov. 30, The Virginian-Pilot is reporting.
Friedman has been on the federal bench since 1997. He was a Virginia Beach circuit judge when President Clinton tapped him for the seat.
The judge told the Pilot that he had notified the White House and courts [...]

[Read more →]

A newspaper that wants to publish legal notices does not need a court order, a Norfolk Circuit Court ruled today in In Re: Dow Jones & Co.
Newspapers that meet the requirements of Va. Code § 8.01-324(A) may publish legal notices; no court ruling is necessary, said Norfolk Circuit Judge Charles E. Poston. He [...]

[Read more →]

A Norfolk Circuit Court has denied a prosecutor’s request for a DUI defendant’s hospital records from the night he was arrested at the hospital where he was taken after a traffic accident.
In a case of apparent first impression, Norfolk Circuit Judge Mary Jane Hall in Commonwealth v. Parks quashed the commonwealth’s subpoena duces tecum issued [...]

[Read more →]

Norfolk lawyer Pete Decker and Judge Tom Shadrick of Virginia Beach are rewarding students for good grades.
For the past 10 years, “Uncle Pete” has treated elementary school students who have improved their grades to a day off and lunch, reports WVEC.
This year, the students also toured Nauticus the National Maritime Center and the Battleship Wisconsin [...]

[Read more →]

Unofficial results show Democrat Greg Underwood outpolled his rival to win Norfolk’s top prosecutor job.
According to The Virginian-Pilot, Underwood, who has served as a prosecutor for about 16 years, received about 55 percent of the vote. The election filled the post vacated last year by Jack Doyle, who is now a Norfolk Circuit judge. [...]

[Read more →]

In this Monday’s edition of Virginia Lawyers Weekly, our Alan Cooper reported that Gov. Tim Kaine was preparing to name several judges to the circuit bench in Norfolk.
Today’s the day: The governor, according to a release from his office, has appointed three men - a General District Judge, a J&DR judge and a commonwealth’s attorney [...]

[Read more →]

Norfolk Circuit Court Judge Charles E. Griffith has lost his bid for another eight-year term, reports The Virginian-Pilot. One House Republican leader acknowledged that Griffith, who served as commonwealth’s attorney before going on the bench, will not be reelected.

[Read more →]

Alfred M. Tripp, the Norfolk circuit judge who has not been on the bench since October, has resigned, according to his lawyer.
The reason?
Tripp’s lawyer, Carl Eason, isn’t talking, citing client confidentiality.
The Virginian-Pilot quotes one source as saying that Tripp had been barred from the courthouse.
The reason?
Again, no one is talking, at least [...]

[Read more →]

Paybacks are, well, um, we won’t say what paybacks are.
But televangelist Pat Robertson, who has been unhappy with The Virginian-Pilot and its coverage of him and his activities, may buy the newspaper.
Norfolk-based Landmark Communications Inc. announced earlier this month that it will explore selling its assets, including The Pilot and The Weather Channel. [...]

[Read more →]

The Virginian-Pilot is reporting that Norfolk Circuit Judge Alfred M. Tripp has been barred from court.
The paper’s source did not state the reasons for the action. The judge’s docket was transferred to another judge Friday and a substitute judge was scheduled to sit today.
The source spoke anonymously due to the secret nature of [...]

[Read more →]