Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, December 9, 1994                   TAG: 9412100044
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: LAURENCE HAMMACK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

SALEM LAWYER IS LEADING CANDIDATE FOR JUDGESHIP

Unanimous votes by the Roanoke and Roanoke County bar associations put Doherty in line to replace Circuit Judge Kenneth Trabue, who is retiring at the end of the year.

A final decision on the judgeship rests with the General Assembly, but lawyers said it would be highly unusual for legislators to bypass a candidate with such solid backing from his peers.

Doherty is "eminently qualified" for the judgeship, said Deborah Caldwell-Bono, president of the Roanoke County-Salem Bar Association. "He has tremendous experience and the respect of the entire bar for his abilities," Caldwell-Bono said.

Doherty also received the backing of the Virginia Women Attorneys Association for the position, one of six Circuit Court judgeships for the 23rd Judicial Circuit, which includes Roanoke, Roanoke County and Salem.

Roanoke lawyer Harwell M. Darby and Roanoke County lawyer Edward Natt also had sought the endorsements of the bar groups.

Doherty, 50, is a native of Alexandria and graduated from the University of Washington. He received his law degree from the University of Richmond, then went to work for the state as an assistant attorney general.

He later worked as an assistant commonwealth's attorney for Roanoke County before joining a Salem firm in 1977. Doherty also has served as a substitute judge, a special justice and a commissioner in chancery.

If appointed by the General Assembly, Doherty will fill a sixth Circuit Court judgeship for the Roanoke Valley. The vacancy was created last month when Trabue announced he would retire Dec. 30 after 17 years on the bench.