I have written several times about the restoration of the Appellate Defender’s office in Virginia. The Indigent Defense Commission had to abolish the office due to budget cuts.
Now you can do something about it! Email your senator if you are in his or her district (especially the Republicans!) or can if a Virginia voter, email all the senators and let them know how you feel. I have done so already.
Emphasize the fact this is a restoration and that there is a budget amendment introduced to add $275,000 to start the office. It’s not enough of course. The old ADs office, according to my deep background was about $600K per year. But they were doing high level work (I printed their stuff I know!)
Here’s the names and email for the senators on the committee. Please consider adding Senator Petersen to the list and give him a shout out of thanks. Yes, he’s a Democrat BUT he’s an all right guy, so to speak. New ideas. (One more good Chap Petersen idea is raising the retirement age for judges to 73. I agree. It passed committee Monday.) Willing to work with the other party. I am thankful Senator Petersen is helping me with this. I appeal to my fellow bloggers – left and right – reprint this post right away if you agree! (Yes it raises my hits! But it’s a good cause!) I’ll try to have the exact time of the hearing – probably either Monday at 8 am (ouch!) or Wednesday 30 minutes after adjournment.
Chairman Thomas K. Norment – district03 [at] senate.virginia.gov (NO SPAM please!)
Richard L. Saslaw – district35
Henry L. Marsh, III – district16
Janet D. Howell – district32
L. Louise Lucas – district18
John S. Edwards – district21
Linda T. Puller – district36
Mark D. Obenshain – district26
Ryan T. McDougle – district04 (my senator!)
A. Donald McEachin – district9
Richard H. Stuart – district28
Jill Holtzman Vogel – district27
William M. Stanley – district20
Bryce E. Reeves – district17
Thomas A. Garrett – district16
Have at it! Do justice and walk humbly with God today! (Sandy’s paraphrase of Micah 6:8) Support the Appellate defender bill – SB 738!
About Elwood Sanders
Elwood "Sandy" Sanders is a Hanover attorney who is an Appellate Procedure Consultant for Lantagne Legal Printing and has written ten scholarly legal articles. Sandy was also Virginia's first Appellate Defender and also helped bring curling in VA! (None of these titles imply any endorsement of Sanders’ views)
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