A committee of state legislators has recommended Leesburg lawyer Pamela L. Grizzle as the second full-time judge on the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court for the 20th judicial circuit, which includes Loudoun County.
Twelve delegates and senators who represent the counties in the circuit -- Loudoun, Fauquier and Rappahannock -- chose Grizzle from three applicants. Their recommendation now goes to the General Assembly, which elects all state judges.
PAMELA GRIZZLE
|
|
The state court system this year approved a second judgeship to cope with a growing caseload in Loudoun.
In making its recommendation, the committee cited Grizzle's practice, which specializes in juvenile and domestic matters, and her current position as a substitute judge in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court.
The local delegation rejected the advice of Loudoun County Bar Association members and Commonwealth's Attorney James E. Plowman, who recommended Frank Buttery, an assistant commonwealth's attorney. The third candidate was Bernadette R. O'Reilly, a Leesburg lawyer in private practice.
"Although all three candidates had remarkable qualifications, the experience that Pam Grizzle gained as a substitute judge was significant," Sen. William C. Mims (R-Loudoun) said in a statement.
The Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court received nearly 14,000 new cases in 2002 and 2003 -- the equivalent of about 26 per weekday -- including criminal, custody and foster care cases. Most went to the court's sole full-time judge, Avelina S. Jacob. The court's caseload is so heavy, some lawyers say, that a 10-minute hearing is sometimes accompanied by a four-hour wait.
