Attorney Cheryl Higgins is a 45-year-old mother of three, the wife of a Charlottesville police sergeant, and a partner in the firm of St. John, Bowling and Lawrence. When she’s not running her kids to practices or cleaning her house, she likes to read fiction, in particular mysteries by Frank Peretti, and is a fan of 1970s music, with the Rolling Stones and Steely Dan at the top of her list. Oh, and this summer, she will become the first female judge on the Albemarle Circuit Court.
Getting to know you: Dig the details on local attorney Cheryl Higgins while you still can. As Albemarle’s new Circuit Court judge, she’ll be deciding the cases, not commenting to the press anymore.
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C-VILLE: What’s it like to suddenly be a media subject?
Cheryl Higgins: I guess I haven’t really thought about that because it hasn’t really impacted anything in my life. The friends that I have—the moms and dads from swim team, ballet or violin—to them, I’m always going to be Cheryl. I could be on the front page of the newspaper and I’m still going to be [my three kids’] mom.
The fact that you’ve been both a prosecutor and a defense attorney would seem to equip you as a judge.
I agree. I like being in a courtroom, I like trials, and I think I’ve got the experience to do the job well. It will definitely help me having been both. I know the frustration that both sides have to deal with before they even get in the courtroom.
What will be your biggest challenge?
My biggest challenge as a judge will be the biggest one I’ve had being a lawyer and that is not to constantly second-guess myself. One concern I have is that I’ll make a ruling and go home that night and think about it: Did I consider everything? Did I explain it well enough? I didn’t miss anything, did I? To just go back over what I’ve done.
What will you miss about being a practicing attorney?
I’ve known some of my clients for a very long time. One of them put it well when he said, “I’ve known you for so long it’s like we’re getting a divorce.” In some ways that’s what it feels like.
Most of all I’ll miss the partners in the firm. We all have different personalities and I’ve learned so much from them. I can’t tell you how many times Rhonda [Quagliana] has made me look good in court just by suggestions she made in the office, and I will really miss that.
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