Governor McDonnell Appoints Three Circuit Court Judges

Virginia General Assembly (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

RICHMOND - Governor Bob McDonnell today announced three judicial appointments to fill vacant circuit court positions that were not filled during the 2013 General Assembly session. Robert R. Sandwich, Jr., will fill the 5th Judicial Circuit, Stephen E. Sincavage will serve in the 20th Judicial Circuit, and Charles L. Ricketts, III, will serve in the 25th Judicial Circuit. According to Article VI, Section 7 of the Constitution of Virginia, these individuals will “serve until thirty days after the commencement of the next session of the General Assembly.” Continued service on the Circuit Court will require election by the General Assembly.

            Speaking about the appointments, Governor McDonnell said, “I am pleased to appoint these highly qualified individuals to the Circuit Court. Judge Ricketts has served with distinction on the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court for the last eight years, and both Sandwich and Sincavage have served their communities with distinction as prosecutors for many years.  All three are talented lawyers who will continue to serve the citizens of the Commonwealth well in these new roles.  They were selected from a pool of highly qualified candidates, whom I thank for an interest in serving the Commonwealth.  I am confident that all three of them will perform commendably in this new role, and it is with great pleasure that I appoint them to the Circuit Court.”

Judge for the 5th Judicial Circuit- Robert R. Sandwich, Jr.

Robert R. Sandwich, Jr., currently serves as an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Suffolk and has served in a similar role for the City of Virginia Beach, the City of Norfolk, the City of Portsmouth, and also in the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit in Columbus, Georgia.  He has worked in private practice in the Hampton Roads and Richmond areas, handling a wide array of criminal and civil matters.  A Navy veteran, Sandwich resides in Suffolk with his wife.

Judge for the 20th Judicial Circuit- Stephen E. Sincavage

Stephen E. Sincavage has served as a prosecutor in the Commonwealth’s Attorney Office for Loudoun County for the last sixteen years, the last five as Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney.  He previously served as a Law Clerk to two circuit judges in the 20th Judicial Circuit. A native of Northern Virginia, Sincavage resides in Ashburn with his wife and daughter.

Judge for the 25th Judicial Circuit- Charles L. Ricketts, III

Charles L. Ricketts, III, was appointed to the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court in the 25th Judicial District and subsequently elected by the Virginia General Assembly in 2006 and reelected in 2012.  For many years prior to taking the bench, he worked in private practice in Waynesboro, handling a variety of civil matters in state and federal courts.  He also served as the Mayor for the City of Waynesboro for eight years.  He and his wife reside in Waynesboro and have two grown children.