Virginia’s highest court elected Justice Cynthia Dinah Fannon Kinser as Chief Justice of the court on Tuesday.
Kinser is the first woman selected to be chief justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia.
She will succeed Chief Justice Leroy Rountree Hassell Sr., who has served two terms as chief justice, and will assume office on Feb. 1, 2011.
She was appointed to the Supreme Court of Virginia by former Gov. George Allen in 1997. She served as the commonwealth’s attorney for Lee County, and has served as a U.S. Magistrate judge.
Hassell said he is “confident that Chief Justice-elect Kinser will serve the court as chief justice with the highest distinction.”
Gov. Bob McDonnell also praised Kinser’s appointment.
“Justice Kinser is a widely respected jurist and is well suited to oversee the judicial branch of state government,” he said. “[She] has always demonstrated she is a fair-minded professional who conducts herself with the utmost integrity and acumen.”
