Summary
Meets at: Wednesday at Monday, 8:00 a.m. and Wednesday, 30 minutes after adjournment in Senate Room A, Pocahontas Building
Members: John Edwards (Chair) – Jennifer Boysko – Ben Chafin – Creigh Deeds – Louise Lucas – Jennifer McClellan–Ryan McDougle – Joe Morrissey –Tommy Norment – Mark Obenshain – Chap Petersen –Dick Saslaw –Bill Stanley – Richard Stuart – Scott Surovell
(9 Democrats and 6 Republicans)
Subcommittees:
- Civil Law
- Criminal Law
About
From Senate Rules: A Committee for Courts of Justice (Note: The Courts of Justice Committee name has been changed to “Judiciary Committee”) 15 Senators, to consider matters relating to the Courts of the Commonwealth and the Justices and Judges thereof, including the nominations of such Justices and Judges where provided by the Constitution and statutes of Virginia; and all matters concerning the criminal laws of the Commonwealth; together with all matters concerning contracts, domestic relations, eminent domain, fiduciaries, firearms, garnishments, homestead and all other exemptions, immigration (with the exception of matters relating to the powers of the Governor or education), magistrates, mechanics’ and other liens, notaries public and out-of-state commissioners, property and conveyances (except landlord and tenant and condominium matters), wills and decedents’ estates.
It shall report to the Senate the names of such persons as it shall find qualified for election as a Justice or Judge of the Commonwealth. Senators, all or part of whose Senate Districts are within the Circuit or District for which a Judge is to be elected, shall nominate a qualified person for such election by affirmation of a majority of such Senators on a form provided by the Clerk of the Senate. If such Senators are unable to agree on a nominee, a Senator shall only nominate a person deemed qualified by the Committee for Courts of Justice for any judicial position.
Whenever a vacancy in the office of a justice of the Supreme Court or judge of the Court of Appeals is announced, the Chair of the Committee for Courts of Justice shall establish a date certain by which any Senator may forward the name of any potential nominee for such office to the Chair.
