The Virginian-Pilot
©
RICHMOND
Defiant and confused, legislators assigned to interview judges up for reappointment sent the candidates home Wednesday without quizzing them.
That early dismissal was the second for the slate of candidates in less than two months. The move, legislators insisted, was not a statement about the judges, but rather a salvo at the state Supreme Court. The judges, including several who preside in Hampton Roads courts, are simply caught in the crossfire.
"We're just in a really weird place where we just don't know what to do," said Fairfax Republican Del. Dave Albo, chairman of the House Courts of Justice Committee.
Judges whose interviews were canceled Wednesday during a joint hearing of the House and Senate Courts of Justice committees included two Chesapeake General District Court judges, Timothy Wright and David Williams; Newport News General District Judge Bryant Suggs; and General District Judge Colleen Killilea, who sits in a court that includes Poquoson and Williamsburg.
The state high court in recent months twice has ordered legislators not to make public the judicial report cards that rank the judges' talents and conduct, deeming the reports private personnel documents.
Yet several lawmakers believe a law passed in 2002 that created the state judicial evaluation program gives them authority to use the report cards and make them public if necessary.
"The Supreme Court is going to have to be more flexible in disseminating this information," said Del. Ken Melvin, D-Portsmouth, who is a lawyer. "Let's be realistic about this. If this information is going to 140 members of the General Assembly, there's no way you can keep it secret."
Under the performance-evaluation system, each judge is to receive a series of individual assessments made by regular courtroom observers such as attorneys.
The initial rankings are for a judge's personal review, while the final report is to be made available to legislators who weigh their merits for re-election.
Julian Walker, (804) 697-1564, julian.walker@pilotonline.com
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Legislators are right
I hope that the legislators in the General Assembly stand their ground. The state supreme court headed by an unqualified affirmative action political appointee by Liberal Governor Kaine needs to make these records public as required by law. He seems to forget that the legislature is the peoples representatives and are expected to keep the Judicial branch from getting even more out of control than it now is. The quality of Virginia's judges have declined drastically because of the fact that apparently they are not appointed because of qualifications but paybacks from their political and legal buddies who then expect the judges to rule from the bench in their favor. They for the most part have themselves a lifetime job with no public oversight.
I hope this is resolved in the peoples favor before 2010 when Suffolk Chief Judge Parker is up for review. I would like to see the comments on his performance given he has little regard for citizens exercising their constitutional rights.