Judge Wilson to Retire August 1

Judge Samuel G. Wilson announced that he will retire August 1 after twenty four years as a United States District Judge for the Western District of Virginia.  I served as a law clerk for Judge Wilson in Roanoke, Virginia during my first year after law school, and I cannot say enough good things about him as a jurist and a person.  Judge Wilson's decision is a bit unusual considering that most federal judges go on senior status when they turn 65, instead of retiring outright.  More surprising, especially if you didn't know Judge Wilson, is that after retiring, he plans to spend a year in Taipei teaching American criminal justice at National Taiwan University.  I can't say that I saw that coming, but his decision to tackle a new adventure in a different part of the world is not surprising.  The Roanoke Times has a very nice article describing Judge Wilson's "rapid trajectory" as a prosecutor, lawyer, magistrate judge and then being named the youngest federal judge in Western Virginia.  Judge Wilson is quoted as saying: "Going somewhere different an taking on a challenge is kind of my way of easing out of it.... I suppose one of the reasons I'm leaving is I think it's important to put power down and see the world the way everyone else sees it."

21 People Apply For Magistrate Judge Position

As noted earlier this week, Magistrate Judge Crigler is going to step down from the bench at the end of this month, and the Western District of Virginia has solicited applications to find a replacement.  Virginia Lawyers Weekly reports that twenty-one attorneys have applied for the job.  A 10-member advisory panel has been appointed and will review the applications in the next 45 to 60 days.  The advisory panel will recommend the five most qualified candidates.  According to Chief Judge Glen Conrad, the district judges will interview those five candidates and select one to serve the eight year term for the federal court.  Other judges will cover Judge Crigler's workload until a new magistrate judge is selected.  Although Judge Crigler's offices were in Charlottesville, the new magistrate judge will be based in Harrisonburg.