The VBA, along with the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Virginia, Inc., the Virginia Creditors Bar Association, the Hispanic Bar Association of Virginia, the Local Government Attorneys of Virginia, the Old Dominion Bar Association, the Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys, the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, and the Virginia Women Attorneys Association, has passed a Resolution In Support of the Funding and Filling of Judicial Vacancies in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Resolution has been sent with a letter to members of the General Assembly, members of the executive branch, and others. A news release has been distributed to various members of the media. The Resolution highlights the statewide bars' support for the funding and filling of all existing and anticipated judicial vacancies in Virginia

 

In her State of the Judiciary addresses this year and on other occasions, Chief Justice Cynthia D. Kinser has called on the executive and legislative branches to work together to fund and fill all vacant judgeships across the Commonwealth. As the Chief Justice has pointed out in her addresses, the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court anticipates there will be 49 vacancies in the Circuit, District and Juvenile and Domestic Relations Courts this year. The General Assembly approved the funding of 32 of those judgeships (and added funding for one new judgeship). This follows on the heels of last year, where only 34 of 48 anticipated vacancies were funded. Chief Justice Kinser has encouraged efforts to build community support for our judiciary and for the funding and filling of these vacancies.

 

We are fortunate to have an outstanding judiciary in Virginia and it is incumbent on each of us to do everything we can to ensure it remains, as it is now, among the very best in the nation. I encourage each of you to answer our Chief Justice's call to support the funding and filling of existing and anticipated judicial vacancies. We all can have a role in helping educate our legislative and executive branches and individuals in our communities about the importance our judiciary plays in all our lives. As we move toward the end of this year, the VBA will continue to be actively involved in advocating for and supporting our judiciary and the funding and filling of judicial vacancies. Thank you for your anticipated support of this effort and for all you do to help maintain the independence and the excellence of our outstanding judiciary. Thanks also to the other statewide bar associations for their cooperation and support of this critical effort.

 

Have a great weekend!