Congratulations to Leigh Taylor on a job well done as she nears the completion of her service as Chair of the Circuit Court Committee of the Fairfax Bar Association. Since July 2015, Leigh Taylor has had the privilege of overseeing many projects completed by members of the Committee and achieved many positive enhancements to the practice of law in Fairfax County Circuit Court. When asked about her successful tenure as Chair, Leigh modestly stated that, “The Circuit Court Committee’s accomplishments are due to the hard work and commitment to excellence of its members.”
During her time as Chair, among other tasks, the Committee notably . . .
- Began a Brown Bag Lunch Series, many held for CLE credit, to provide the various Circuit Court judges’ opinions to the attorneys practicing within the Circuit Court. Attorneys learned from the judges how best to present their cases or certain issues in their cases and how to maximize admission of their clients’ testimony and evidence.
- The General Civil Litigation Sub-Committee and the Domestic Relations Sub-Committee proposed changes to civil motion’s practice. In response and based upon the recommendations, Chief Judge White of the Fairfax Circuit Court issued a letter amending several motion’s day practice procedures. Additionally, motivated by these changes, the Fairfax Circuit Court judges revised the Calendar Control forms for the first time in several years.
- Revised, published, and held a public educational seminar for parties that wish to obtain a divorce but are unrepresented by attorneys, commonly known as “pro se” parties. The pro se packet of materials, including divorce forms and a video of the public educational seminar, is now available on the Circuit Court’s website and the Bar Association’s website.
- Prompted the Clerk’s Office to establish a private nursing mother’s room on the 3rd floor of the Fairfax County Courthouse which opened to the public in December 2016.
Currently, the Circuit Court Committee is working to revise the Circuit Court Manual for 2018, revise and update the guidelines and forms for Neutral Case Evaluation, revise model discovery for domestic relations cases, as well as several other projects that are ongoing in nature.