VCC Magazine Fall-Winter 20-21

V irginia C apitol C onnections , F all 2020/W inter 2021 11 sorenseninstitute.org Apply to participate in one of our programs for current or aspiring political and community leaders or consider a donation or sponsorship Preparing leaders for ethical and effective governing SORENSEN INSTITUTE for POLITICAL LEADERSHIP “Sorensen’s powerful approach to building a cadre of skilled, open-minded, and ethical leaders is the best investment we can make in our future.” SUPPORT TRUST, CIVILITY, AND RESPECT Contact JC Ignaszewski ji5r@virginia.edu | 434.924.1310 sorenseninstitute.org Ray LaMura, Chair, Sorensen Advisory Board V Jeff continued working in publishing as a designer and writer and has worked with publications such as: The American Spectator, the USO's OnPatrol, Marine Corps League, Selling Power, Artes Graficas, Today's Campus, and many others. For several years, Jeff operated his own print and web design business, Edgemont Communications, from Locust Grove, Virginia. Jeff went on to earn a miniMBA in Social Media Marketing from Rutgers University and later, an MS in Cybersecurity and Computer Forensics from Utica College. Jeff is a certified fencing instructor and is certified in Google Analytics and Adobe Visual Design. His interest in computing, software and writing led to being a volunteer correspondent for Opensource.com, where Jeff wrote dozens of articles on open source software and methodology. He left publishing for higher education marketing and communications and has worked in different capacities at St. Lawrence University and Clarkson University in Northern New York, Rappahannock Community College in the Northern Neck of Virginia, and now as Director of Marketing at Corning Community College in Western New York, where he lives with his wife, Sheila, and his cat, Lewis. Jeff has two sons, Collin, a Captain in the Army in Virginia (and his wife Sonja), and Jack, a "retired at 22" Marine Corps Sergeant in San Diego, California. Jeff used his prize money to establish a scholarship at Rappahannock Community College for those interested in pursuing their studies in cybersecurity. “every judicial election in Virginia is political, and when you get to the appellate courts, the politics can be fierce.” An appellate judicial vacancy reliably generates a flurry of palace intrigues, back-room bargaining, and partisan lobbying. It could be worse. Twenty-two states select jurists by popular election, forcing judicial candidates to raise campaign funds very delicately, and to pander to voters in political advertisements— including the negative variety. Our jurists are spared that indignity. The appellate courts today Largely due to Republican ascendancy in the legislature in the last decade, conservative jurists dominate both of Virginia’s appellate courts. Strongly conservative members somewhat outnumber their center-right colleagues; no member of either court can be plausibly described as liberal. Now that Democrats control both chambers of the General Assembly, that might begin to change. In the Supreme Court, that change will come glacially, due to those 12-year terms. Chief Justice Don Lemons will face mandatory retirement in 2023. The next justice in line for a forced exit is Justice Teresa Chafin, six year later. The Court of Appeals is a different story. Three of its eleven judges will reach the age of 73 in the next four years. In addition, one seat is vacant as a result of Judge Rossie Alston’s move to the federal bench in 2019. (The Democrats had the opportunity to fill that vacancy in the 2020 Regular and Special Sessions, but so far have declined to do so.) If the legislature remains under Democratic control for the next few years, it could dramatically reshape the court. Time will tell. Steve Emmert is an appellate lawyer with the Virginia Beach firm of Sykes, Bourdon, Ahern & Levy. He has published the website Virginia Appellate News & Analysis since 2005. Judicial Selection, The Virginia Way from page 9 V Continued from previous page V