The Hon. Nolan B. Dawkins of Alexandria was elected by Virginia’s General Assembly late Wednesday as a Circuit Court Judge of the 18th Judicial District for a term of eight years.
Donald M. Haddock, Jr. also of Alexandria, was elected as a judge of the 18th Judicial District for a term of six years, beginning May 1. Both were elected unanimously.
“It is wonderful that the House has finally returned to the protocol of approving the selection of Judges selected by the local House and Senate delegation,” said Del. Adam P. Ebbin (D-44). “Both Judge Dawkins and Mr. Haddock will be outstanding jurists. Alexandria is lucky to have people of their caliber serving.”
The vacancy on the Juvenile and Domestic Relations bench created by the elevation of Judge Dawkins will now be filled by the Chief Judge of Alexandria’s Circuit Court, Judge Donald Haddcock, Sr.
Donald M. Haddock, Jr.
Donald M. Haddock, Jr. runs a one-member general practice law firm in Old Town with an emphasis on real estate and civil litigation. Since entering private practice since 1996, he has successfully litigated civil and criminal cases at all levels of Virginia trial and appellate courts.
Haddock, 37, is known as an experienced title examiner and is often called upon by a title companies for assistance in real estate matters. He also serves as counsel to the Virginia Department of Transportation for eminent domain proceedings by appointment of the Attorney General, and as counsel to the City of Alexandria and the Town of Leesburg for real estate and litigation matters.
A native of Alexandria, where he attended St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School and graduated from Episcopal High School, Haddock attended the University of Virginia where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance with a second major in Spanish. He stayed on at Virginia to earn his law degree.
Haddock spent the first five years of his practice in Fredericksburg, where he was a partner at Roberts, Ashby & Parrish, PLC. He returned to Alexandria in 2002 to become a partner at Redmon, Peyton and Braswell, LLP until the opening of his law firm in 2004. He lives in Alexandria with his wife Cristina and their daughter Eva.
Nolan Dawkins
In 2004, Gov. Mark R. Warner (D) appointed Lisa B. Kemler, an Alexandria lawyer, to a Circuit Court judgeship that had been vacant for more than a year because of a political dispute between state legislators.
Dawkins, 60, then an Alexandria Juvenile Court Judge, had been Warner’s original choice, but he bowed out at the time, telling The Post, “I am very disappointed that it’s turned out this way. It was obvious that I had the support of the community, I am well-qualified and had the support of the [local] bar associations. But it’s clear that some in Richmond just did not want me” on the bench.
All judges in Virginia are subject to election by the General Assembly, and Republicans in Richmond said they would oppose Dawkins in favor of their own candidate, Fairfax lawyer Timothy Battle. Being the majority party, Republicans at the time said they wanted to have their say on all judgeships, as Democrats did when they controlled the Assembly.
Alexandria Democrats have long supported Dawkins, given his long service to the city and credentials as a Juvenile Court judge. They also said he would help diversify judgeships in a city with a 22 percent black population. Dozens of Dawkins supporters, including City Council members and black leaders, had expressed their endorsement of Dawkins.
“This has been a long, arduous ordeal,” said Del. Brian J. Moran (D-46), a member of the Courts of Justice Committee and Chair of the House Democratic Caucus. “But I am pleased the General Assembly has finally taken the appropriate action.”
