The Judiciary Committee of the Virginia State Bar Association Free Essay Example, 1250 words

The major role of this committee is to ensure that any judicial vacancy is filled with the right candidate. The process involves first considering and appropriately searching for the right nominees. Finally, a committee member from a given Virginia State Bar disciplinary district is assigned the responsibility of scrutinizing any identified nominees from their district in Virginia (Virginia State Bar Council, 2012). The vacancies that require such nominations are often in the Supreme Court of Virginia, the State Corporation Commission, and Virginia Seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and the Court of Appeals of Virginia. Each investigation brings out a report before the JCEC then interviews them. Upon investigation, the candidates are then voted for qualification and putting into consideration the committee policy requirements of integrity, experience, temperament, professional competence, public service, and civic activities (Warner & Kaine, 2014, p. 1). As active members, the members of the Virginia Judicial Candidate Evaluation Committee are admitted to practice law in Virginia as attorneys and are also engaged, whether part time or full time, salaried or not, in practicing law (The Virginia State Bar, 2010). We will write a custom essay sample on The Judiciary Committee of the Virginia State Bar Association or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now Like most American States, Virginia State continues to use an electoral system to appoint and retain its judges. However, this is disadvantageous since nominees have to campaign and this is time consuming and expensive, and the judges find themselves ethical dilemma situations. Furthermore, such campaigns cause even the lowest ranking judges to receive reappointments despite proof of eminent unfairness and eminent disqualification like the case of Judge Birdie Hairston Jamison (Fain, 2014). For some judges like Lucas D-Portsmouth, the act involved systematic bias even though Jamison was a female from the minority black people. Virginia State Bar Association- Alternative Dispute Resolution Besides its responsibility in the selecting candidates for judicial positions, the JCEC in Virginia is responsible for addressing professional ethics and standards of practice; enlightening ADR professionals and lawyers regarding trending issues and opportunities in the field through the Virginia ADR newsletter, CLE programs, and the website; developing creative uses of ADR processes and Strategies to offer improved services to clients; and monitoring public and legislation policy. In the State of Virginia, ADR is the responsibility of a Joint Dispute Resolution Committee that is active in all areas of ADR, including conciliation, negotiation, arbitration, mediation, restorative justice, settlement conferences, and collaborative law.