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Courts of Justice Committee interviews judicial candidates seeking elevation and new vacancies
Summary
The House Courts of Justice Committee heard brief interviews from several judicial candidates—including Judge Jonathan Stone and Judge Jane Reynolds—before certifying a larger slate of incumbents and nominees for election. Candidates emphasized experience, public service and a commitment to fair treatment in court.
The House Courts of Justice Committee interviewed multiple judicial candidates and heard short statements about their qualifications and motivations for seeking higher or new judicial posts.
Chair Delegate Patrick Hope opened the session by explaining the committee's two-wave interview process and noting the panel would certify both candidates interviewed today and those reviewed in December. He introduced the first interviewee as Judge Jonathan Stone of the Virginia Beach General District Court.
Judge Jonathan Stone said his work on the general district court taught him the gravity of each case. "Every case that comes in front of me in general this court has immense weight for the individuals that are involved," Stone said, adding he would be "honored to continue that service" at the circuit-court level to ensure litigants are "treated fairly with dignity." The judge was introduced by a member of the Virginia Beach delegation, who cited Stone's legal experience and academic background.
Aaron Cass, nominated as a candidate for the Virginia Beach second judicial-district general district court, said he has practiced law for more than 20 years and highlighted service in attorney-discipline review and community and faith-based nonprofit work. Cass told the committee that becoming a judge would combine his legal experience with his commitment to public service.
Ollie Sprinkle, seeking a juvenile and domestic relations district court vacancy in Portsmouth, discussed nearly 25 years in law, including five years as an assistant commonwealth's attorney and extensive guardian ad litem work. Multiple delegates offered personal commendations of Sprinkle's child- and family-focused experience.
Judge Jane Reynolds of the fifteenth judicial circuit was introduced as a longtime practitioner who founded her own firm and later joined the bench; her introducer noted she was the first African American woman appointed to that circuit. Reynolds said her time on the general district court prepared her to handle "more diverse and complex" cases at the circuit level.
Charles Clark described a career spent largely in public-service legal roles—as magistrate, public defender, assistant commonwealth's attorney and deputy county attorney—and told the committee those roles prepared him for circuit-court duties.
The interviews were procedural, brief and limited to candidate statements and introductions. No formal votes on individual candidates were taken during the interviews portion; the committee moved on to review and certify multiple nominees in blocks later in the session.
