                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

COMMISSION CREATED; MEMBERSHIP AND TERMS OF OFFICE (§ 17.1-901)

There is created a Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission in the judiciary
branch of government, composed of seven persons who shall be citizens and
residents of the Commonwealth. The members of the Commission shall be chosen by
the vote of a majority of the members elected to each house of the General
Assembly. The Commission shall elect a chairman and vice-chairman annually from
its membership.
		The Commission shall consist of three judicial members, who shall be (i) one
active judge of a circuit court, (ii) one active judge of a general district
court and (iii) one active judge of a juvenile and domestic relations district
court; two lawyer members, who shall be active members of the Virginia State Bar
who are not judges and who have practiced law in the Commonwealth for 15 or more
years immediately preceding their appointment; and two public members who shall
not be active or retired judges and shall never have been licensed lawyers.
		After the initial appointments, the term of office of each member shall be
four years commencing on July 1. No member of the Commission shall be eligible
to serve more than two consecutive terms. The remainder of any term to which a
member is appointed to fill a vacancy shall not constitute a term in determining
the member&#8217;s eligibility for reappointment.
		Commission membership terminates whenever a member resigns or ceases to
possess the qualifications that made him eligible for appointment. During any
vacancy, which may exist while the General Assembly is not in session, the
Governor may appoint a successor to serve until 30 days after the commencement
of the next session of the General Assembly. Upon election of a successor by the
General Assembly, the new member of the Commission shall serve for the remainder
of the term of office of his predecessor.
		Any member of the Commission who is the subject of an investigation or hearing
by it or is otherwise personally involved therein shall be disqualified by the
Commission from acting in such proceedings. In such a case the Governor shall
appoint a person possessing the original qualifications of such member as
prescribed by this section to serve temporarily as a substitute member of the
Commission in such proceedings.

HISTORY: 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 154, § 2.1-37.3; 1978, c. 452; 2001, c. 844; 2004,
c. 1000.