SJ 199 — Commending the Honorable Frank W. Somerville.

SESSION INTRODUCEDENROLLED 24108448D I SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO.

199 OfferedE March 1, 2024 N Commending the Honorable Frank W.

TN Patrons––Reeves,Agreed Boysko,to Deeds,by Diggs,the Favola,Senate, McDougle,March Mulchi,6, Salim2024 andR Stanley;Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 7, 2024 O WHEREAS, the Honorable Frank W.

Delegates:Somerville has served with distinction the residents of the 16th L relations district court judge;

Randhe Clark,Commonwealth Ennis,for Fowler,three Hope,decades Laufer,as Martinez,a Milde,juvenile Owen,and Rasoul,domestic Scott,L P.A.WHEREAS, Judge Somerville was born and raised in Orange County and graduated from Woodberry E Forest School;

he subsequently earned a bachelor's degree in education from Davidson College in North Carolina, then taught history and Waregovernment ––––––––––at Oa WHEREAS,private day school for two years before attending law D schWHEREAS, Judge Somerville began his legal career as an associate attorney with the HonorableOrange FrankCounty W.law firm of Somerville, Carter, Wilkinson & Wheeler, until he received his appointment to the bench in 1994;

and WHEREAS, Judge Somerville has served withon distinctionnumerous thecommittees, residentsincluding of the D6thCourt JudicialImprovement DistrictSchools of Virginia and theCourts CommonwealthCommittee; for three decades as a juvenile and domestic relations district court judge;

andhe Uis WHEREAS,a Judgecurrent Somervillemember wasof bornthe National Council of Juvenile and raisedFamily inS OrangeCourt CountyJudges, and graduatedhe frompreviously Woodberryserved Cas Forestpresident School;of the Virginia Council of Juvenile and Domestic 1 Relations District Court Judges;

heand subsequently9 earnedWHEREAS, aJudge bachelor'sSomerville degreeis inthe educationlead fromjudge Davidsonfor Collegethe inCulpeper NorthBest schoolPractices atTeam theand Universityhas ofbeen Virginia;R Court in 2002;

andentandper atJuvenile aand privateDomestic dayRelations schoolDistrict forCourt twowas yearsdesignated beforeas attenEinga lawBest Practice WHEREAS, Judge Somerville beganwas histhe legalrecipient careerof asthe an2020 associateLelia attorneyBaum withHopper theService OrangeAward Dgiven Countyby lawthe firmVirginia Council of Somerville,Juvenile Carter,and WilkinsonDomestic &Relations Wheeler,District untilCourts hefor received his appointmentyears toof thededication; bench in 1994;

and WHEREAS,Sound JudgeTask SomervilleForce hasin served2022 onwith numerous committees, including the Courtaim Improvementto Programfind Advisoryplacement Committee, the Virginia State Executive Counsel for Children'sdisplaced Services,children andin theVirginia's Schoolsfoster andcare Courtssystem; Committee;

heand isWHEREAS, aJudge currentSomerville memberwas one of thefive Nationalcore Councilteam ofmembers Juvenilefor andthe FamilyThree CourtBranch Judges,Institute, andwhich headdressed previouslyimplementation servedof asthe presidentFamily ofFirst thePrevention VirginiaServices CouncilAct ofin JuvenileVirginia and Domesticadopted RelWHEREAS,newWHEREAS, Judge Somerville is the lead judge for the Culpeper Best Practices Team and has beenorganized so since the Culpeper Juvenile and Domesticled Relationsseveral Districtcontinuing Courtlegal waseducation designatedtraininge; as a Best P1actice Court in 2002;

and 9seminars WHEREAS,for Judgearea Somervillebar wasmembers theand recipientvarious ofcommunity thestakeholders 2020to Leliaaddress Baum Hopper Service Award given by the Virginiaever-emerging Council of Juvenile and Domesticdiverse Relationsissues Districtthat Courtsthe forjudicial hissystem yearsencounters; of dedication;

and WHEREAS, Judge Somerville washas appointedregularly totaught serveat onnational Governorjudicial Glennconventions Youngkin'sacross Safe and Sound Task Force in 2022 with the aimUnited toStates; find placement for displaced children in Virginia's foster care sysWHEREAS, Judge Somerville was one of five core team members for the Three Branch Institute, which addressed implementation of the Family First Prevention Services Act in Virginia and adopted new court processes for the approval and monitoring of the placement of children in foster care;

and WHEREAS, Judge Somerville has organized and led several continuing legal education training :

34 seminars for area bar members and various community stakeholders to address the ever-emerging and 35 diverse issues that the judicial system encounters;

and / 36 WHEREAS, Judge Somerville has regularly taught at national judicial conventions across the United 37 States;

and WHEREAS, Judge Somerville is revered among his contemporaries who regularly seek him out for his wisdom and guidance and who have marveled at his work ethic and untiring dedication to the work of the judiciary;

now, therefore, be ititrveled at his work ethic and untiring dedication to the work RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend the Honorable Frank W.

Somerville on the occasion of his retirement as a juvenile and domRESOLVEDdomestic FURTHER,relations Thatdistrict thecourt Clerkjudge of the Senate16th prepareJudicial aDistrict copy of thisVirginia; resolution for be it presentation to the Honorable Frank W.

and, be it presentation to the Honorable Frank W.