2026 SESSION

INTRODUCED

26108119D

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 122

Offered February 23, 2026

Commending the Honorable Kenneth Ronald Melvin.

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Patrons—Lucas, Craig and Deeds; Delegate: Hayes

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WHEREAS, the Honorable Kenneth Ronald Melvin, a former member of the House of Delegates and an esteemed jurist who made numerous contributions to the legal profession in the Commonwealth, retired as a judge of the Portsmouth Circuit Court in 2025 after 16 years of service; and

WHEREAS, a native of Fayetteville, North Carolina, Kenneth “Ken” Melvin earned a bachelor's degree from Colby College in Maine in 1974 and a law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center in 1977; and

WHEREAS, Ken Melvin began his career as a trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice, then settled in Portsmouth, where he practiced law with the firms Marcus, Santoro, Kozak & Melvin and Melvin & Bullock; and

WHEREAS, Ken Melvin has been a champion for the Portsmouth community, providing his leadership and expertise to the Tidewater Legal Aid Society and the Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority, serving as legal counsel for the local branch of the NAACP, and enjoying fellowship and worship with the congregation of Third Baptist Church; and

WHEREAS, desirous to be of further service, Ken Melvin ran for and was elected to the House of Delegates and represented the residents of the 80th District from 1986 to 2009; and

WHEREAS, Ken Melvin introduced and supported numerous important pieces of legislation to benefit the Commonwealth, provided wise insights to several standing committees and the Virginia State Crime Commission, chaired the Joint Commission on Health Care, and was a trusted mentor to other members of the General Assembly; and

WHEREAS, in 2009, Ken Melvin was appointed as a judge of the Portsmouth Circuit Court of the Third Judicial Circuit of Virginia; he presided over the court with great fairness and wisdom and served two stints as chief judge; and 

WHEREAS, during his tenure on the bench, Ken Melvin was appointed as a presiding judge of the first multijurisdictional grand jury in the Hampton Roads region, which covered the cities of Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Suffolk, and he served as vice chair of the Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission, which investigates charges of judicial misconduct in the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, Ken Melvin served the Portsmouth community, the Hampton Roads region, and the Commonwealth with the utmost dedication, integrity, and distinction until his well-earned retirement in 2025; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend the Honorable Kenneth Ronald Melvin on the occasion of his retirement as a judge of the Portsmouth Circuit Court; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Honorable Kenneth Ronald Melvin as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration for his achievements on behalf of the Portsmouth community and legacy of service to the Commonwealth.