THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, January 7, 1995 TAG: 9501070241
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MARC DAVIS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Short : 50 lines
Three lower-court judges won endorsements Friday from the Virginia Women Attorneys Association for promotion to Circuit Court.
The women lawyers gave their highest rating - ``highly recommended'' - to two men: Judge Marc Jacobson, who hears civil cases in General District Court, and Judge Everett Martin of Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court.
The association gave its next-highest rating - ``recommended'' - to a woman: Judge Gwendolyn Jones Jackson, who hears traffic cases in General District Court.
Finally, the association gave its lowest passing rating - ``qualified'' - to a pair of male lawyers: John Newhard, assistant city attorney in Virginia Beach, and Frank Lawrence, a solo practitioner in Norfolk.
The endorsements come as the General Assembly gets ready to fill a record number of Norfolk judgeships. The legislature will convene next week.
At least three Circuit Court judgeships will open this spring, with the retirement of Judges Thomas McNamara, Robert Stewart and Alfred Whitehurst.
The Norfolk and Portsmouth Bar Association, which has a larger, more broad-based membership than the women's group, has already endorsed Jacobson and Martin as ``highly qualified,'' and Newhard as ``qualified.''
A fourth Circuit Court judgeship could come open if Judge Joseph Baker of Norfolk retires from the state Court of Appeals. It is widely rumored that Norfolk Circuit Judge Lydia C. Taylor will be his replacement.
Last week, Taylor asked for, and got, an endorsement from the Women's Political Caucus, which is pushing for more women judges in Virginia.
Currently, Taylor is the only woman among Norfolk's nine Circuit Court judges.
The two women's groups also issued endorsements for Norfolk's lower courts.
At least one judgeship in General District Court will open this year with the retirement of Judge Reid Spencer. There could be more if some lower-court judges are promoted to Circuit Court.
The Women Attorneys Association endorsed eight candidates for lower court. ``Highly recommended'' were Patricia Dickey and Terry Huffman; ``recommended'' were Louis Sherman, Joan Skeppstrom and Alfred Tripp; ``qualified'' were Richard Langhorne, Joseph Massey and Newhard.
The Women's Political Caucus endorsed only two candidates: Dickey and Skeppstrom. by CNB