Norfolk City Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Lawless, Joseph T. (Judge) April 1, 1941
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Virginian-Pilot April 3, 1941
Judge Joseph T. Lawless, for many years one of the best-known members of the bar 
in this section of Virginia, died Tuesday night at 11:34 o’clock at a local 
hospital. He was 74 years old.
He was the son of the late Thomas Joseph and Mrs. Ellen Nolan Lawless, was a 
native of Portsmouth and a life-long resident of the Norfolk-Portsmouth section.
He was considered a man of keen judgment, a lover of things that were beautiful 
and was well versed in literature. He also had more than a local reputation as a 
writer, especially of verse. Several of his poems were published.
In 1909, Judge Lawless was appointed to circuit bench and he filled that high 
place with honor and distinction. He was seldom reversed by a higher court.
Judge Lawless was educated in the Webster Military Institute of Norfolk, St. 
Mary’s College of Belmont, N.C., and Richmond College. In the Webster Institute, 
he prepared himself for entrance into college and at St. Mary’s took his 
master’s degree in arts and at Richmond College was graduated a bachelor of 
laws.
He had been practicing law only a short time when, in 1898, he entered public 
life and, for more than a quarter of a century, was almost continually in high 
office. In 1904, he retired from the bench of the first judicial circuit and 
entered into private life.
In State Senate Four Years
From 1889 to 1893, he represented the city of Portsmouth and Norfolk County in 
the State Senate. In 1893, he was named Secretary of the Commonwealth, holding 
the office for four successive terms of two years each without opposition.
He was named to the staff of Governor Swanson with the title of colonel.
Judge Lawless presided over the first judicial circuit from 1909 to 1914 and, as 
a judge, duplicated in thoroughness and excellence his services in the executive 
branch of the State Government, and as a legislator.
The records of his court show that he disposed of thirteen hundred chancery, 
common law and criminal cases and was reversed in but four instances, two of 
which were on questions not raised before his court.
This record is said to be unsurpassed in Virginia. His sense of justice so 
highly developed and the natural acumen of his mind won for him a high place 
with the highest-ranking jurists the Old Dominion has known.
In his  younger days, Judge Lawless was a member of the Virginia Club, the 
Atlantic Club, Virginia Beach, and the Westover Club.
He is survived by three sons, Gregory Benedict Lawless, of Covington, Valentine 
Browne Lawless, of Norfolk, and Edward Kirwan Lawless, of Washington; a 
daughter, Miss Margaret Elwood Lawless, of Norfolk; a sister, Mrs. Elizabeth 
Lawless Christiansen, of Portsmouth, and seven grandchildren.
The body, now at the H. D. Oliver Funeral Apartments, 1501 Colonial avenue, will 
be taken to the Sacred Heart Catholic Church for services this morning at 10 
o’clock. Burial will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery.




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