Lawrence L. Koontz Jr.

Koontz's collected opinions have been published in a seven volume set with the final volume being released in July 2017. .mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:linear-gradient(transparent,transparent),url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:linear-gradient(transparent,transparent),url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:linear-gradient(transparent,transparent),url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:linear-gradient(transparent,transparent),url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:#d33}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:#d33}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#3a3;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}Lawrence L. Koontz Jr. (2011), Jurist Prudent -- The Judicial Opinions of Lawrence L. Koontz Jr., Volume 1, Salem, Virginia, USA: Salem/Roanoke County Bar Association, OL 24619284M Lawrence L. Koontz Jr. (2011), Jurist Prudent -- The Judicial Opinions of Lawrence L. Koontz Jr., Volume 2, Salem, Virginia, USA: Salem/Roanoke County Bar Association, OL 24619285M

In a 2008 dissent in the death penalty case of Porter v. Commonwealth, Koontz, responding to the majority's use of procedural default to excuse the trial court's gross abuse of power in presiding over the trial in a different jurisdiction without a proper order of designation, observed that "[i]f the courts empowered to sit in judgment over those accused of typically heinous crimes fail to take the greatest care in assuring the fairness of the proceedings that result in the imposition of the death penalty, then it must inevitably follow in time that the death penalty statutes of this Commonwealth will no longer pass constitutional muster." This statement was widely quoted in the media and reflects Justice Koontz's growing frustration with the manner in which the death penalty is administered in Virginia.

Lawrence Larkins Koontz Jr. (born January 25, 1940) is a Senior Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia. Justice Koontz has served at every level of court in the Virginia judicial system.

Prior to being made a Supreme Court justice, Koontz was an original member of the Virginia Court of Appeals, serving as its second chief judge for two four year terms following the death of chief judge E. Ballard Baker a few months after the Court was created. Prior to his appointment to the Court of Appeals, Koontz served as a judge of the 23rd Judicial Circuit of Virginia and the Roanoke Juvenile Court. He attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University where he received a Bachelor of Science in Biology and was a member of the Corps of Cadets. He received his law degree from University of Richmond School of Law.