The VLW Blog

The Supreme Court of Virginia has accepted a proposal by a joint task force of the Virginia State Bar and the Virginia Bar Association that will make it easier for corporate counsel who are not licensed in Virginia to provide pro bono services. Corporate counsel now can provide such services only in programs operated and [...]

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Chief Justice Cynthia D. Kinser has appointed Loudoun Circuit Judge Thomas D. Horne as chairman of the 22-member committee to study realignment of the state’s judicial circuits and districts. The committee includes Virginia Court of Appeals Chief Judge Walter S. Felton Jr.; eight circuit judges; six general district or J&DR judges; a circuit, a J&DR [...]

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A bill that attempts to take away the inherent authority the Supreme Court of Virginia says state judges have to defer and dismiss criminal charges cleared the House of Delegates today on a 76-22 vote. House Bill 2513, patroned by Del. C. Todd Gilbert, R-Woodstock and supported by prosecutors and a host of law enforcement [...]

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A Loudoun County general district judge has refused to abide by the high court’s ruling against reopening cases of immigrants who face deportation from criminal convictions. The judge determined to reopen an old case to reconsider the guilty plea of an immigrant who now faces deportation, despite a recent Supreme Court ruling that would leave [...]

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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 [...]

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The Virginia State Bar Council will have more of a say over the regulations governing mandatory continuing legal education according to a rule change adopted by the Supreme Court of Virginia. Under the changes, the council could reject amendments or regulations from the MCLE Board by a two-thirds vote of council. Moreover, any regulations would [...]

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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, [...]

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The Supreme Court of Virginia has provided a safe harbor for prosecutors to advise police about questioning a willing defendant even after a defense lawyer has been appointed. It was a hot topic for Virginia prosecutors. A 2009 U.S. Supreme Court decision allowed police interrogation even after a right to counsel attached in some cases [...]

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The Virginia Judicial Council recommended yesterday the adoption of a rule on juror privacy that leaves the matter largely to the discretion of the trial judge rather than having jurors in criminal cases identified only by number as a matter of course. The original proposal, which would have jurors identified by numbers in all cases, [...]

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Robert J. Humphreys, a member of the Virginia Court of Appeals, and Glen A. Huff, a former law partner of Gov. Robert F. McDonnell, have asked to be considered for the vacancy on the Supreme Court of Virginia that will be created by the retirement of Justice Lawrence L. Koontz Jr. For more details, Virginia [...]

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