Ever wondered how Virginia selects the judges for the court system? Then head to the Prince William Committee of 100’s upcoming panel on May 19.
The panel will be hosted at the Wyndham Garden Hotel at 10800 Vandor Lane in Manassas. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., dinner will be served at 7 p.m., and the program will begin at 7:45 p.m.
During the event, panelists will discuss how Virginia’s judicial selection system works compared to the federal system and other states, whether or not Virginia should change it’s system, and what local input goes into selecting judges to represent Prince William County.
This year’s controversies over the nominations of federal and state Supreme Court justices highlight that there is more than one way to select these very important public officials. Virginia is one of only two states in which the legislature appoints judges without input from the governor, whose only role is to fill vacancies when the legislature is in recess.
Many other states follow the federal system where the executive nominates and the legislature confirms judicial appointments. In other states, judges are evaluated by appointed panels, popularly elected, or face retention elections. Bar associations play varying roles in recommending or rating candidates. What system best insures impartial justice and puts the most able jurists on the bench?
The speakers for the panel will be:
Henry N. Butler
Dean and Professor
George Mason University School of Law
Joe Condo
Former President
Virginia State Bar
Hon. Scott Surovell
Senator
Commonwealth of Virginia
Bob Zelnick
Chair
Prince William County Bar Association
Judicial Screening Committee
Dinner is $25 for Committee of 100 members, and $30 for non-members. There is no charge for attending the program. For more information, click here.
