St. John named chief judge of bankruptcy court

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Stephen C. St. John has been selected as chief judge for the Eastern District. The designation, effective Jan. 1, was made by the district judges of the district.

St. John is the first chief from the Norfolk Division of the court. The Eastern District includes courts in Alexandria, Newport News, Norfolk and Richmond.

St. John will succeed Chief Judge Douglas O. Tice Jr. who retires in June.

St. John was first appointed to the bench in 1995 after working at law firms in Norfolk and Virginia Beach.