Lawrence Warren IâÂÂAnson (April 21, 1907 â December 17, 1990) was a Virginia lawyer, prosecutor and judge. He was elected as a justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia and served as chief justice from 1974 to 1981.
I'Anson received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of William and Mary in 1928 and his LL.B. at the University of Virginia in 1931. Admitted to the bar in 1931, he began practice in Portsmouth the same year. From 1938 to 1941, he was CommonwealthâÂÂs Attorney for the city of Portsmouth and, in 1941, became judge of the Hustings Court there. Judge IâÂÂAnson remained in that position until he was appointed to the Supreme Court of Appeals in 1958.
While serving as a Supreme Court judge, I'Anson led the Virginia Court System Study Commission whose 1971 recommendations resulted in wholesale reform of the state courts system.
When Chief Justice Harold Snead retired in 1974, Justice IâÂÂAnson became Chief Justice of the Court where he remained until his own retirement on January 31, 1981. He died December 17, 1990.
Justice IâÂÂAnson received an honorary LL. D. from William and Mary in 1964. He was a member of Order of the Coif, Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Alpha Delta, Phi Kappa Alpha and Omicron Delta Kappa. He was the Director of the American Judicature Society, Chairman of the National Conference ofâ Chief Justices, member of the Board of Directors of the National Center for State Courts. Justice IâÂÂAnson also received the University of Virginia Sesquicentennial Award in 1969 and the American Judicature SocietyâÂÂs Lincoln Harley Award in 1973.
The I'Anson-Hoffman American Inn of Court was established under I'Anson's leadership in 1987 to promote the goals of legal excellence, civility, professionalism and ethics.
The Lawrence W. I'Anson Award is presented annually by the William & Mary Law School in his honor.