Access Conferences

Access 2009 panel examines judicial selection in Virginia

Richmond trial attorney Coleman Allen told a VCOG audience that he's practiced in both Virginia and West Virginia. He's seen good and bad judges in each state, and has concluded that both states' judicial selection processes (West Virginia elects; Virginia appoints) have merits and drawbacks.

by Megan Rhyne

Though the Freedom of Information Act takes up pages and pages and pages in the Virginia Code, the speakers on a panel at VCOG's fall conference agreed that the act is as much about relationships as it is about procedure.

Thank you to our wonderful Access 2009 panelists!

Featured Speaker

Sen. Ken Cuccinelli, Republican candidate for Virginia Attorney General

Anonymous Juries

MODERATOR: Dick Hammerstrom, local news editor Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star

Matt Britton, King George Commonwealth Attorney

Kristie Kane, immediate past president of defense attorneys organization

Judge Clifford Weckstein, Roanoke Circuit Court

Judicial Selection

Here is the tentative schedule for VCOG's fall conference, Oct. 15 and 16 at the Stonewall Jackson Hotel.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15

Join the VCOG board of directors for drinks and dinner, 5:30-9:00

VCOG will recognize its 2009 FOI award winners in the categories of citizen, media and government.

An after-dinner discussion about campaign speech, featuring nationally known First Amendment scholars Rodney Smolla and Robert O'Neil, will follow.

Cost is $25/person

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16

$750

The Charlottesville Daily Progress

$500

Alpha Omega Wealth Management, Richmond

The Associated Press, Richmond

The Recorder, Monterey

The Virginian-Pilot, Norfolk

Washington & Lee Department of Journalism and Mass Communication

$350

WWBT-TV, Richmond

WTVR-TV, Richmond

$250

Christian & Barton, Richmond

Reed Elsevier, Inc.

The Vectre Corporation, Richmond