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Model Speech:
Independence of the Judiciary

Law & Politics: The Imperative of Judicial Self-Restraint
from the September 2002 VBA News Journal

The VBA Judicial Section was founded in 1994. The Section's continuing goals, as outlined in its bylaws, are to improve the administration of justice; to promote dialogue and collaboration among state and federal judges; to foster public education about the judicial system and matters of concern to the judiciary; and to provide a forum for the discussion of matters of concern to judges.

From the outset, the VBA Judicial Section has sought to represent as wide a spectrum of Virginia judges as possible. Section bylaws provide that in addition to the chair, the Section Council shall consist of a justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia; a judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, resident in Virginia; a judge of the Virginia Court of Appeals; a judge from each of the U.S. District Courts, Eastern and Western; a circuit court judge from each judicial region; a judge of either a General District Court or a Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court from each judicial region; a U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge; a U.S. Magistrate from either the Eastern or Western District; and a retired state court judge.