Virginia
Located in the Mid-Atlantic, Virginia is bordered by the Appalachian Mountains and the Atlantic Coast. “Old Dominion” is the nickname given to the state because of its status as the first English-colonial possession established in the mainland of North America. With Eight Presidents being born in the state, it has also been given the nickname “Mother of Presidents.” It is the 35th largest state by land-area, and 12th largest by population with approximately 12.5 million residents. It is part of the 13 Original Colonies, and was the tenth state admitted to the Union on June 25, 1788.
The government of Virginia is broken into three branches under the Commonwealth of Virginia. The current Constitution of Virginia was put in place in 1971, and it is the state’s seventh Constitution. This Constitution breaks the government into three branches: the executive, judicial and legislative branch.
The Executive Branch of Virginia consists of the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor and the Attorney General. Each is elected for a term of four years, in years following a presidential election. This is rare, as only five states have state-wide elections in odd-numbered years. The Executive Branch also includes the Governor’s cabinet, with the power to promulgate regulations.
The Legislative Branch consists of the State Assembly, which is broken into two houses—the Virginia House of Delegate, and an upper house, the Senate of Virginia, with 40 members. The Lieutenant Governor presides over the Senate, and the Speaker of the House presides over the 100-member house.
The Judicial Branch of Virginia is composed of the Supreme Court of Virginia and subordinate courts, including the Court of Appeals, the Circuit Courts, and the General District Courts. Virginia is part of the Fourth Circuit of Federal Courts.
With the state’s proximity to Washington, DC; Virginia’s economy is strongly driven by Federal government work. It is home to the headquarters of the Department of Defense and Central Intelligence Agency. Military facilities are also spread throughout the state. Agriculture and farming also contribute to the state’s economy. The service sector is also one which employs many of the state’s residents, with nearly ⅓ of the more than 4 million civil workers, working in a service-sector position. The Patent Office Headquarters (USPTO), National Science Foundation, and United States Geological Survey also contribute to the federal and state government positions in the state.
Major universities in the state include Virginia Tech University, the University of Virginia, James Madison University, and George Mason University.
Visitors of the National Law Review can find content ranging from enactment of medical marijuana laws, to federal agency news, labor and employment laws, and litigation and legislation from the state and the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. The National Law Review constantly updates online content, providing visitors the most up-to-date news stories, legislation, and content from the state, and its relation to the US and international relations.