Virginia is known as the home of the oldest operating law school in the U.S. and the nation’s second oldest college: William & Mary. But could you name the second law school established in Virginia, which also was the fourth ...

Tagged with: Legal History

The document that inaugurated the concept of constitutional government eight centuries ago will get an international celebration this year, with a grand premiere in Williamsburg this month. A renowned British historian and an authoritative Virginia constitutional law professor will join ...

Tagged with: Legal History Virginia Bar Association

George Washington is responsible for a lot of “firsts.” For example, he was the first president, the first commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, and the first guy to have the George Washington Bridge named after him. But President Washington was ...

Tagged with: Federal Courts Intellectual Property Legal History

NEWPORT NEWS (AP) Nobody knows exactly how many deeds, wills and other legal records might have been stored in the old Warwick County courthouse when the Civil War started. But by the time the conflict ended in 1865, the single ...

Tagged with: Courthouses Legal History

PETERSBURG (AP) Nearly a quarter of a million historic court documents from Petersburg detailing early struggles in the rail and mining industries and with free African Americans are now available online. The Library of Virginia recently completed Petersburg’s chancery records ...

Tagged with: Legal History Petersburg Circuit Court

WINCHESTER (AP)  All Michael Bryan was looking for was a deed. What the local attorney eventually found was a bit of a mystery — one nearly 169 years in the making — with a possible solution that involves spirits. Bryan ...

Tagged with: Frederick County Circuit Court Legal History Real Estate

As North and South clashed during the Civil War, court officials across Virginia sent their records to Richmond, hoping to keep them away from invading Union armies. “It seemed to be common practice that the invading army would go straight ...

Tagged with: Legal History Northampton County Circuit Court

How did lawyers socialize years ago? During the late 18th century in the Richmond area, U.S. Chief Justice John Marshall and his contemporaries partook in the social game of quoits. This traditional game of skill required tossing a brass or ...

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Virginia bar leaders took a journey into the past this month through the eyes of two lawyers who witnessed history from two very different perspectives. Virginia State Bar president Irving M. Blank of Richmond and attorney Robert A. Williams of ...

Tagged with: Legal History Virginia State Bar

Editor’s Note: As Black History month draws to a close, we provide a feature, on Giles B. Jackson, the first African-American to argue before the Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals (now the Supreme Court of Virginia). For Giles B. Jackson, ...

Tagged with: Legal History