A Guide to the Supreme Court of Virginia Photographs, 1881-2011 (bulk 1950-2011). Supreme Court of Virginia Photographs, 1881-2011 (bulk 1950-2011). 00030029

A Guide to the Supreme Court of Virginia Photographs, 1881-2011 (bulk 1950-2011).

A Collection in the
Supreme Court of Virginia Archives, Virginia State Law Library
Accession Number 00030029


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Supreme Court of Virginia Archives, Virginia State Law Library

Virginia State Law Library
Supreme Court of Virginia
100 North Ninth Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
URL: http://www.courts.state.va.us/courtadmin/library/home.html
Email: LawLibrary@vacourts.gov
Phone: (804) 786-2075

© 2012 By The Virginia State Law Library. All rights reserved.

Processed by: Library staff

Repository
Supreme Court of Virginia Archives, Virginia State Law Library
Accession Number
00030029
Title
Supreme Court of Virginia Photographs, 1881-2011 (bulk 1950-2011) 1881-2011 (bulk 1950-2011)
Physical Characteristics
0.60 cu. ft. (2 boxes)
Creator
Virginia. Supreme Court.
Location
Language
English
Abstract

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Access to recent photographs of members of the court (1990-2011) is restricted.

Use Restrictions

Because the library is not open to the general public, researchers should contact the library to arrange access to the collection.

Preferred Citation

Supreme Court of Virginia Photographs, 1881-2011 (bulk 1950-2011), Accession #00030029, Supreme Court of Virginia Archives, Virginia State Law Library, Richmond, Va.

Acquisition Information

The official portraits, and the photograph of Justice Burks, 1918, circa, were acquired from the Office of the Clerk of the Supreme Court of Virginia. Most of the other photographs were acquired in a transfer from the Office of the Executive Secretary in 2005. The photograph of Moncure Conway, 1881, was donated to the State Law Library by C.M. Chichester in 1923.

Historical Information

The Supreme Court of Appeals of Virginia was created by an act of the new General Assembly in 1779. By Constitutional amendment in 1928, the number of justices was increased from five to seven and the title of the presiding officer of the Court was changed from President to Chief Justice. At the same time, the amendment significantly increased the power given the Supreme Court by permitting the Court to prescribe forms and to regulate the practice of Virginia's courts. The Constitution of 1971 changed the name of the Court to its present title of Supreme Court of Virginia.

The Court of Appeals of Virginia was established January 1, 1985. It provides appellate review of final decisions of the circuit courts in domestic relations matters, appeals from decisions of an administrative agency, traffic infractions and criminal cases, except where a sentence of death has been imposed.

The Office of the Executive Secretary was established in 1952. It provides administrative support for all of the courts and magistrate offices within the Commonwealth. This includes the training and education of all judicial branch employees, as well as legal research assistance for judges.

The Office of the Clerk, Supreme Court of Virginia, receives, processes, and maintains permanent records of all appeals and other official documents filed with the Court. The Clerk also maintains records of qualified attorneys and other administrative records.

Scope and Content

The collection is comprised mostly of official annual group portraits of the justices in the courtroom and the judicial conference room, 1900-2011 (bulk 1956-2011). It includes one formal portrait of the Court of Appeals in the courtroom, 1989, circa. Also included are individual portraits of justices, photographs of paintings of justices, candid photographs of justices and others at ceremonial occasions of the court. The earliest photograph is a photograph of Moncure Conway, a court reporter in the antebellum period, 1881. When known, the photographer is listed in the catalog record for the individual photograph.

Box 1 contains photographs (approximately 71 items) cataloged individually under the PHOT 1.1 call number prefix. Most are formal group portraits (11 x 14, black and white) of the Supreme Court of Virginia justices in the courtroom or in the judicial conference room. For the years 1998-2011, most of the official portraits are in color. This box contains official portraits for the following years: 1952, 1957, 1958, 1969, 1972, 1974, 1977, 1983, 1987-1991, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2007, 2008, and 2011.

In addition to the group portraits, Box 1 also contains a group photograph of the fifteenth annual convention of the Association of Trial Justices of Virginia at the Hotel Jefferson in Richmond, 1949; and a candid photograph of Justices Buchanan, Eggleston, and Snead and Governor Mills Godwin at the Commonwealth Club, 1969.

Box 2 contains photographs (approximately 125 items) cataloged individually under the PHOT 2.1 call number prefix. Most are formal group portraits (8 x 10, black and white) of the Supreme court of Virginia justices in the courtroom or in the judicial conference room. Includes some duplicates and photographic negatives. This box contains official portraits for the years 1900 (copy), 1931, 1935, 1936, 1947, 1958, 1959, 1960,1965,1968,1969,1972,1973,1974,1979-1982, 1987, 1998, 2000, and 2003, and an official portrait of the Court of Appeals (color), 1989, circa.

In addition to the group portraits, Box 2 contains a photograph of attorney Conway Robinson, 1881; a candid photograph of Justice Alexander Harman, 1987; individual portrait photographs of Justice Burks, 1918; Howard G. Turner, Clerk, 1950, circa; Chief Justice Hudgins, 1950, circa; Justice Whittle, 1965, circa; and Justice Poff, 1970, circa; photographs of court ceremonies, including the 200th anniversary of the Supreme Court of Virginia, 1979, a dinner for the court hosted by Governor Charles S. Robb, 1983, circa (24 color prints); Justice Spratley presenting a scroll to Chief Justice Eggleston commemorating his thirtieth year as a member of the court, 1965, and portrait presentation ceremonies for Chief Justice Eggleston, 1976, and Justice Cochran, 1989. In addition, here is a photograph of a meeting of the Judicial Council of Virginia, 1931; the dedication of the Supreme Court building in 1941; the swearing-in ceremonies for two members of Governor Linwood Holton's cabinet (Earl Shiflet and Maurice Rowe), 1972; and employees of the office of the Clerk of the Supreme Court of Virginia in the courtroom, 2000 (10 color prints and negatives).

Index Terms

    Corporate Names:

  • Virginia. Court of Appeals. History.
  • Virginia. Supreme Court. History.
  • Virginia. Supreme Court. Office of the Clerk.
  • Virginia. Supreme Court. Office of the Executive Secretary.
  • Subjects:

  • Judges -- Virginia -- Portraits.
  • Genre/form

  • Commemorations (events) -- Virginia -- Richmond.
  • Photographs -- Virginia -- Richmond.