Justice Keenan, who has been nominated for a seat on the 4th Circuit, will appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. Our friends at The VLW Blog report that the entire nomination hearing will be webcast.

Yesterday, Virginia Lawyer’s Weekly reported that eight candidates have alerted the Virginia State Bar that they would like to be considered for the vacancy that Justice Keenan’s appointment to the 4th Circuit would create. They candidates interested in the potential opening are:

  • Virginia Court of Appeals Judge Robert J. Humphreys;
  • State Sen. John S. Edwards of Roanoke;
  • Petersburg Circuit Judge Pamela S. Baskervill;
  • Loudoun County Circuit Judge Thomas D. Horne;
  • Alexandria Circuit Judge Lisa B. Kemler;
  • Fairfax Circuit Judge Jane M. Roush;
  • Stuart A. Raphael, a partner in the McLean and Washington offices of Hunton & Williams; and
  • Elwood E. Sanders Jr., an attorney with Lantagne Legal Printing in Richmond.

The VSB’s judicial nominating committee recently vetted Senator Edwards and Judges Humphreys and Horne, so it will not reinterview them. It will meet with the remaining candidates on October 12.

Of course, the candidates may be in for a long wait. As an editorial in this morning’s Baltimore Sun notes, President Obama nominated Judge Andre Davis for another opening on the 4th Circuit. The Senate Judiciary Committee approved Judge Davis 16-3 in June, but he is still awaiting a vote on his nomination.