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!

Elwood "Sandy" Sanders is a Hanover attorney who is an Appellate Procedure Consultant for Lantagne Legal Printing and has written seven scholarly legal articles and was an adjunct at T. C. Williams School of Law. (None of these titles imply any endorsement of Sanders’ views)

Elwood "Sandy" Sanders

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