Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 23, 1994 TAG: 9402230194
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By LAURENCE HAMMACK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Kidd said Tuesday he is retiring after more than 15 years on the bench of Roanoke General District Court.
His announcement was the latest development in a series of events that has created possible openings in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations, General District and Circuit courts.
All the judgeships are in the 23rd Judicial Circuit, which comprises Roanoke, Roanoke County and Salem.
Just last week, it appeared that the only Roanoke Valley judgeship to be filled by the General Assembly this year would be a new seat on the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court.
Then plans to create a family court, which would have reduced the case load of Circuit Court judges by consolidating their family-related matters with the juvenile courts, lost momentum in the legislature.
Without the family court, caseload statistics support the creation of a sixth Circuit Court judgeship for the valley, according to Del. Richard Cranwell, D-Roanoke County.
A bill sponsored by Cranwell creating the Circuit Court judgeship passed the House last week and is pending in the Senate, he said Tuesday.
To complicate things further, most if not all of the candidates for the Circuit Court job are judges in General District Court - meaning that legislators may be asked to replace both Kidd and the judge who moves on to Circuit Court.
Although the positions have yet to receive final approval, local bar associations are expected to endorse candidates for all three courts at meetings as early as next week.
"I'd say it's a go" for all three positions, said Del. Clifton "Chip" Woodrum, D-Roanoke.
Once the Roanoke and Roanoke County-Salem bar groups have endorsed candidates, the judgeships will be filled by the General Assembly in a process largely controlled by Democrats.
Kidd, who is chief judge of the General District Court, said Tuesday that his last day on the bench will be July 15.
Known for his off-the-cuff remarks from the bench, Kidd said he will miss his days in a court that offers a daily parade of people accused of everything from parking violations to murder.
"Where else can you go and meet 50 people a day?" he said. "Interesting people."
Kidd said he will still offer his services as a substitute judge.
Meanwhile, Roanoke Valley lawyers are campaigning for bar endorsements.
Among those who have expressed an interest in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court are: William Broadhurst, an assistant commonwealth's attorney in Roanoke County; Ellen Weinman of Salem; Joseph Bounds of Roanoke; and John Molumphy of Roanoke.
Candidates for the General District Court judgeship include Vincent Lilley of Salem, Thomas Dickenson of Roanoke and Alton Prillaman of Roanoke County.
Burton Albert of Roanoke County said he is considering a bid for either the Juvenile or General District position.
For the new Circuit Court judgeship, definite candidates are Julian Raney and Richard Pattisall, with John Apostolou and George Harris mentioned as possible contenders. All four men are judges in General District Court.
The Roanoke Valley has five Circuit Court judges - three that sit in Roanoke, and two in Roanoke County and Salem.
A sixth Circuit Court judgeship was not envisioned until the proposed statewide family court - a concept approved last year by the General Assembly - began to run into trouble at this year's session.
As proposed, the family court would hear all matters involving divorce, custody, child support, visitation and adoption, as well as most criminal cases involving juveniles. Divorce and other family-realted matters now heard by the Circuit courts would be transferred to the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, which would become the family court.
To handle the influx of new cases, advocates proposed creating 32 family court judgeships across the state, with one going to the Roanoke Valley.
But concerns about funding the system led to its defeat last week by the House. A Senate version of the bill has passed, but its chances were weakened recently when Gov. George Allen announced his opposition.
"He's not against the family court system per se, but he's not going to support it this year," said Allen's press secretary, Ken Stroupe. "It's not one of his funding priorities this year."
Robert Baldwin, executive secretary of the Virginia Supreme Court, said this week that supporters still hope to salvage the family court plan.
He said the family court would give Circuit Court judges more time for some of Allen's proposals, such as two-part trials that would allow juries to learn background information about defendants before sentencing.
But others did not expect Allen to be swayed. "I think, as a practical matter, it's not going to pass this year," Woodrum said.
by CNB