Succeeded by Stanley G. Bryan | Succeeded by William E. Fears Preceded by Gordon F. Marsh Name William Hodges | |
Preceded by None (position created) | ||
Succeeded by Jere M. H. Willis, Jr. Preceded by Charles B. Cross, Jr. | ||
Oral history interview with Court of Appeals of Virginia Judge William H. Hodges, 2015 Mar 6
William H. Hodges (born April 18, 1929) is a retired Virginia Court of Appeals judge and state legislator.
Contents
- Oral history interview with Court of Appeals of Virginia Judge William H Hodges 2015 Mar 6
- Early life and education
- Political and judicial career
- Awards and recognition
- References
Early life and education
Hodges is a native of Chesapeake, Virginia (then known as Norfolk County, Virginia). Hodges graduated from Randolph-Macon College in 1951, where he earned his B.A. in sociology. While at Randolph-Macon, he was a member of Phi Kappa Sigma. Hodges received his J.D. from the Washington & Lee University School of Law in 1956. He practiced law in the Tidewater region of Virginia. Hodges was a veteran of the United States Coast Guard, serving from 1951-53.
Political and judicial career
Hodges was elected in 1961 as Democrat to the Virginia House of Delegates representing the 49th District. He served two terms in the House and then was elected to the Virginia Senate when incumbent State Senator William B. Spong was elected the U.S. Senate in 1966. Hodges represented the 3rd District, which included all of the cities of Portsmouth, Chesapeake and Virginia Beach, from 1966 to 1972.
He was Judge of the First Judicial Circuit of Virginia from 1972-1984. In 1977, Hodges was appointed by Governor Mills E. Godwin as Chairman of the Virginia Council on Criminal Justice. When the Virginia General Assembly created the Court of Appeals of Virginia in 1985, Judge Hodges was one of its first members. He served that court as an active member until 1989 and as a senior judge after that.
Awards and recognition
In 1981, Hodges was named First Citizen of the City of Chesapeake and in 1983 he received the Commendation Award from the Chesapeake Chamber of Commerce in recognition of his community service. In 1993 he was further honored by the Chamber for his contributions to the city.
Hodges has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Chesapeake People's Bank, on the Board of Trustees of his alma mater Randolph-Macon College and as vice chairman of the Virginia Crime Commission.