RD395 - Assessing the Feasibility and Impact of Implementing a Senior Judge System in the Circuit and District Courts of the Commonwealth of Virginia - October 2014


Executive Summary:
Chapter 413, Virginia Acts of Assembly, 2013 Session, authorized the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia to contract with an independent entity to study the feasibility and effect of implementing a system in which "a specified number of retired circuit and district judges would become senior judges who sit for a specified amount of time each year in return for a portion of the current compensation of active judges, eliminating the need for substitute judges and special justices and for the reliance on recalled retired judges."

In response to the legislation, the Office of the Executive Secretary contracted with the National Center for State Courts to study the feasibility and effect of implementing a senior judge system for the circuit and district courts of the Commonwealth. In accordance with the Act, I am submitting an executive summary of the progress made to date by the National Center for State Courts towards meeting the objectives of this study.

If you have any questions regarding this report, please do not hesitate to contact me.

With kind regards, I am

Very truly yours,
/s/ Karl R. Hade