SB902: Judicial Retirement System; retired judges or justices appearing as counsel.

SENATE BILL NO. 902
Offered January 12, 2011
Prefiled January 10, 2011
A BILL to amend and reenact § 51.1-309 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the prohibition on retired members of the Judicial Retirement System appearing as counsel.
Patron-- Deeds

Referred to Committee on Finance

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That § 51.1-309 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 51.1-309. Appearance as counsel in certain forums prohibited.

A. No former justice or judge of a court of record of the Commonwealth and no former full-time judge of a court not of record of the Commonwealth, who is retired and receiving retirement benefits under the provisions of the Judicial Retirement System, shall appear as counsel in any case in any court of the Commonwealth.

B. No former member of the State Corporation Commission or Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission, who is retired and receiving retirement benefits under the provisions of the Judicial Retirement System, shall appear as counsel in any case before the Commission of which he was formerly a member.

C. The provisions of subsection A shall not be applicable if (i) the retired justice or judge is at least 70 years old, (ii) the retired justice or judge is appearing as counsel, pro bono, for an indigent person in a civil matter, (iii) such civil matter is assigned or referred to the retired justice or judge by a nonprofit legal aid program organized under the auspices of the Virginia State Bar, and (iv) the retired justice or judge is not an employee, officer, or board member of such nonprofit legal aid program. Nothing herein shall relieve the retired justice or judge from having obtained any license or meeting any requirement in connection with the appearance as counsel as required by law, rule, or regulation.