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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>79242</law_id><section_number>51.1-309</section_number><catch_line>Appearance as counsel in certain forums prohibited</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="51.1">Pensions, Benefits, and Retirement</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="3">Judicial Retirement System</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> No former justice or <span class="dictionary">judge</span> of a <span class="dictionary">court</span> of record of the Commonwealth and no former full-time <span class="dictionary">judge</span> of a <span class="dictionary">court</span> not of record of the Commonwealth, who is retired and receiving retirement benefits under the provisions of the Judicial <span class="dictionary">Retirement System</span>, shall appear as <span class="dictionary">counsel</span> in any case in any <span class="dictionary">court</span> of the Commonwealth. <a id="paragraph-283728" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/51.1-309/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> No former member of the State Corporation Commission or Virginia Workers&#x2019; Compensation Commission, who is retired and receiving retirement benefits under the provisions of the Judicial <span class="dictionary">Retirement System</span>, shall appear as <span class="dictionary">counsel</span> in any case before the Commission of which he was formerly a member. <a id="paragraph-283729" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/51.1-309/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> The provisions of subsection A shall not be applicable if the retired justice or judge is not authorized for or assigned to temporary recall by the Chief Justice of the Supreme <span class="dictionary">Court</span>, the <span class="dictionary">Chief Judge</span> of the <span class="dictionary">Court</span> of <span class="dictionary">Appeals</span>, or the House and Senate Committees for <span class="dictionary">Courts</span> of Justice and either (i) (a) the retired judge or justice has been retired for at least two years; (b) the retired justice or judge is appearing as <span class="dictionary">counsel</span>, pro bono, for an <span class="dictionary">indigent</span> person in a civil matter; (c) 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 (d) the retired justice or judge is not an employee, officer, or board member of such nonprofit legal aid program or (ii) the retired justice or judge is at least 67 years of age and is eligible to receive full Social Security benefits. Nothing herein shall relieve the retired justice or judge from having obtained any license or meeting any requirement in connection with the <span class="dictionary">appearance</span> as <span class="dictionary">counsel</span> as required by <span class="dictionary">law</span>, rule, or regulation. A retired justice or judge shall not be eligible to be authorized for or assigned to temporary recall after such time that he appears as private <span class="dictionary">counsel</span> pursuant to this subsection. <a id="paragraph-283730" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/51.1-309/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1970, c. 778, &#xA7; 51-179; 1975, c. 188; 1980, c. 138; 1990, c. 832; 2011, c. 705; 2018, c. 709; 2023, c. 552.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
