WHEREAS, the Honorable Cynthia D. Kinser, a deeply respected attorney and judge who dedicated her life to upholding the laws of the Commonwealth, retired as chief justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia in 2014; and

WHEREAS, a native of Pennington Gap in Lee County, Cynthia Kinser graduated from the University of Tennessee and earned a law degree from the University of Virginia; and

WHEREAS, in 1977, Cynthia Kinser served as a law clerk for a United States District Court judge; in 1980, she became Lee County's first female Commonwealth's Attorney, where she served until 1984 when she went into private practice; and

WHEREAS, Cynthia Kinser was appointed as a United States magistrate judge in 1990 and served in that capacity until 1997, when she was appointed to the Supreme Court of Virginia to fill an unexpired term; she was reappointed in 1998; and

WHEREAS, in 2011, Cynthia Kinser was chosen as the first female chief justice of Virginia; she presided with great fairness and wisdom until her well-earned retirement; and

WHEREAS, Cynthia Kinser received numerous accolades throughout her legal career and her 17 years of service to the Supreme Court of Virginia; in 2011, she earned the prestigious Thomas Jefferson Foundation Medal in Law from the University of Virginia and Monticello; and

WHEREAS, a woman of great integrity, Cynthia Kinser served the Lee County community and the Commonwealth with the utmost professionalism, dedication, and distinction, and she leaves a legacy of excellence to her successor as chief justice; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That the Honorable Cynthia D. Kinser hereby be commended on the occasion of her retirement as chief justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Honorable Cynthia D. Kinser as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for her contributions to the Commonwealth.