ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, March 12, 1997 TAG: 9703120064
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-5 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: PULASKI
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER
State bar says lawyer can't serve because he's also a substitute judge
It turns out that Pulaski Town Council is not fully filled, after all.
H. Lee Chitwood, a lawyer who lives in Pulaski and works in Wytheville, was appointed to fill a council vacancy last week. He had been recommended by council's Human Resources Committee.
But the Virginia State Bar has ruled that because Chitwood is a substitute judge, he is not eligible to serve on council.
Chitwood has been a substitute General District Court judge since the start of this year. He said he had not realized the prohibition covered substitute judges until one of his colleagues brought it to his attention.
He asked for a ruling on the matter and was told that, under the Canons of Judicial Ethics, he will not be able to serve.
So now the matter will go back to the Human Resources Committee for another recommendation.
Council has had two vacancies lately. W.H. "Rocky" Schrader resigned because of business commitments, and John Johnston was elevated to mayor following Andy Graham's resignation from that post for health reasons.
Joe Weddle, manager of American Electric Power's Pulaski Division, was named to one of the vacancies and has participated in several council gatherings. Chitwood had not yet been sworn in.
LENGTH: Short : 35 linesby CNB