Virginia native picked for 4th Circuit bench

ASSOCIATED PRESS

A federal judge in Virginia is President Bush’s pick to fill one of several vacancies on the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, widely viewed as the most conservative federal appellate bench in the country.

The White House announced yesterday that Mr. Bush had nominated Glen E. Conrad to the Richmond-based appeals court, which has handled some of the country’s biggest terrorism cases.

Judge Conrad has sat on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia since 2003.

If confirmed by the Senate, where he has bipartisan support, Judge Conrad will fill the seat of H. Emory Widener Jr., who died last year.

Judge Conrad, 58, a native of Radford, Va., received a bachelor’s degree and his law degree from the College of William & Mary’.

“Judge Conrad… has been praised by lawyers and judges alike for his intelligence, fairness and commitment to justice,” White House spokeswoman Emily Lawrimore said.

Judge Conrad was one of several people recommeded by Virginia’s U.S. senators, John W. Warner, a Republican, and Jim Webb, a Democrat.