CrimLaw

Admittedly, 90% of my clients could care less about their citizenry rights. They are usually focused on the prospect of going to prison and those few who see the longer picture usually are more concerned about the fact that they will never be able to have a firearm. Still there are those few who really want their rights back and Governor Warner is doing his best to accommodate them (at least the non-violent ones).

Virginia is one of only 14 states that do not automatically restore the civil rights - to vote, serve on juries, hold public office - of felons once they have served their time.

And Virginia is one of only seven states that require every felon seeking a restoration of rights to get the governor's personal OK.

Apparently there was a bill in the last term which would have led to automatic restoration of rights for some felons but it didn't make it out of the Legislature. Can't say I'm surprised by that.

A.S. writes to point out that today's Jur-E has a section on Gov. Warner's actions.