Kenneth R. Melvin

Kenneth R. Melvin
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates
from the 80th district
In office
1986 – May 1, 2009
Preceded byL. Cleaves Manning
Succeeded byMatthew James
Personal details
Born (1952-09-18) September 18, 1952 (age 71)
Fayetteville, North Carolina
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseSylvia LaVerne Hodges
ChildrenDerek, Nicholas
ResidencePortsmouth, Virginia
Alma materColby College
Georgetown University Law Center

Kenneth Ronald "Ken" Melvin (born September 18, 1952) is an American politician, lawyer and jurist.

Career[edit]

Melvin was born in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

He served as a Democratic member of the Virginia House of Delegates from Portsmouth from 1986 to 2009.[1][2] Melvin was also a member of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus and a mentor to Virginia state senator Louise Lucas.[3]

On February 24, 2009, Melvin announced he would not run for reelection.[4] On April 7, Governor Tim Kaine appointed Melvin to judgeship on the Virginia Circuit Court in Portsmouth, effective May 1, 2009.[5] On May 1, 2009, he retired from the House and became a judge of the Portsmouth Circuit Court.[6]

On March 4, 2016, Melvin was named as the possible successor to Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr. of the Court of Appeals of Virginia if Alston were to be elevated to the Supreme Court of Virginia.[2][7][3] The vote to appoint Alston to the Supreme Court of Virginia failed.[8]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Forster, Dave (25 February 2009). "Legislators laud outgoing Del. Kenneth Melvin of Portsmouth". The Virginian Pilot. Retrieved 2020-10-19.
  2. ^ a b Nolan, Jim (7 March 2016). "GOP moves toward Senate vote on Alston, but doesn't consult Melvin". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved 2020-10-19.
  3. ^ a b Lazarus, Jeremy M. (February 12, 2016). "Sen. Lucas flip-flops in Va. Supreme Court battle". Richmond Free Press. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  4. ^ Walker, Julian (2009-02-25). "Portsmouth's Del. Melvin moving on after two decades". The Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved 2009-02-25.
  5. ^ Clayton, Cindy (2009-04-07). "Former Del. Melvin appointed as Portsmouth judge". The Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved 2009-04-07.
  6. ^ "Kenneth Ronald "Ken" Melvin". Virginia House History. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  7. ^ Vozella, Laura (February 11, 2016). "Black state lawmaker shares deep frustrations with her own party". The Washington Post. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  8. ^ Weiner, Rachel. "Judge Rossie Alston expected to be nominated to federal bench in Virginia". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2020-10-19.

References[edit]

External links[edit]