On Chief Justice Hassell

I learned today of the death of Chief Justice Hassell. There are reports here from the Norfolk paper and the Richmond paper. He was a strong character and an interesting man, a very compelling figure in Virginia's legal history for many reasons.

I met him once and told him of my adventures before the Supreme Court, which he found amusing. Later, on a trip to the law school at Grundy, he told me this story.

Here is his last speech on the state of the judiciary as Chief Justice, in which he relates much of his own history and experience, beginning on page 8.