This year's Virginia Court of Appeals nominees and the state of the judicial selection process

The Washington Post reports here that Northern Virginia legislators are irate that Fairfox County Circuit Judge Ney was not selected to the court of appeals, instead of William Petty and Randolph Beales.

The article makes these points:

1. Northern Virginia legislators claimed that "the selections violated an informal agreement among Republicans that each of Virginia's 11 congressional districts would be represented on the state Court of Appeals."

2. Del. Albo said: "Nobody, in my opinion, voted on qualifications."

3. Del. Albo noted "that neither Beales, of the Richmond area, nor Petty had submitted to the traditional review by the state bar."

4. Del. Moran said the candidates chosen "are capable but easily identified with the Republican Party."

This doesn't sound like anything new, or especially alarming, since the two guys the Republicans picked are both strong candidates - notwithstanding Ken Lammers' less than self-serving observation.