Bill Text: VA HJR977 | 2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Commending Paul B. Ebert.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-0)
Status: (Passed) 2019-02-23 - Bill text as passed House and Senate (HJ977ER) [HJR977 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2019-HJR977-Introduced.html
WHEREAS, Paul B. Ebert has served the residents of Prince William County and the Cities of Manassas and Manassas Park as Commonwealth's attorney for more than 50 years; and
WHEREAS, Paul Ebert holds degrees from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and the George Washington University School of Law; he practiced law from 1963 to 1980 and previously worked as a justice of the peace for the City of Falls Church and an assistant Commonwealth's attorney; and
WHEREAS, desirous to be of further service to the community, Paul Ebert ran for and was elected as Commonwealth's attorney for Prince William County and the Cities of Manassas and Manassas Park in 1967; and
WHEREAS, Paul Ebert witnessed significant changes to the office of Commonwealth's attorney, which was still a part-time position until 1980, and incredible growth in Prince William County, which has more than quadrupled in population since 1967; and
WHEREAS, having first assumed office at the age of 30, Paul Ebert was the youngest Commonwealth's attorney in Virginia at the time and went on to become the oldest Commonwealth's attorney after winning election to his 13th term in 2015; and
WHEREAS, as Commonwealth's attorney, Paul Ebert has directed a staff of 23 assistant Commonwealth's attorneys with a total of 450 years of legal experience and 390 years of criminal prosecution experience between them; and
WHEREAS, throughout his distinguished career, Paul Ebert has presided over many high-profile cases that received national attention, including the John and Lorena Bobbitt case and the "Beltway sniper" case involving John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo; and
WHEREAS, under Paul Ebert's leadership, the office has worked closely with police departments in multiple jurisdictions to provide 24-hour legal advice; the office has also provided its expertise to special prosecutions in other jurisdictions, delivered lectures throughout the Commonwealth, and conducted mock trials to educate local and state law-enforcement officers; and
WHEREAS, Paul Ebert also volunteered his time and wise leadership to numerous professional organizations in the legal field, and he has earned many awards and accolades for his personal and professional achievements; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Paul B. Ebert for dedicating more than 50 years of his life to the residents of Prince William County and the Cities of Manassas and Manassas Park as Commonwealth's attorney; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Paul B. Ebert as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration for his legal acumen and legacy of public service.
