Heather Goodwin Announces She Will Be Seeking Commonwealth Attorney Post In Nelson

Lovingston
Nelson County, Virginia

Over the weekend BRL learned of another candidate that is seeking the recently vacated Commonwealth Attorney’s position. The current CA, Anthony Martin, announced last month that he would be resigning from the post. Almost immediately after the announcement, Daniel Rutherford who tried for that post several years ago, said he would be trying again for the position.

BRL received the announcement below from Heather Goodwin. She is a local practicing attorney at her firm, Goodwin Law Of Virginia. According to her release, if successful, she would be the first female ever to fill that role.

Longtime Nelson resident and local attorney, Heather H. Goodwin, announced Saturday that she too would be seeking to fill the shoes of Nelson’s exiting Commonwealth Attorney, Anthony Martin. Wife and mother of three, Goodwin moved to Nelson at the age of twelve and is a graduate of Nelson County High School. She completed her undergraduate at James Madison University in December of 1999 and entered Liberty University School of Law ten years later. After years of working in a professional business environment and volunteering with local organizations, Goodwin was not your typical law student. “I remember sitting across from the Dean of the law school trying to convince him that as a mother of three boys, all under the age of six, I could not only be a quality full time law student but that he should authorize my request to work a part-time job of 20 hours per week at the same time. I know he thought I was crazy.” Goodwin proved that she was in fact capable of the task graduating with honors as cum laude and earning distinction for her achievements in the institutions Lawyering Skills Program.

Goodwin began her legal career in one of the County’s longest standing firms, Eggleston & Thelen. In the fall of 2014 she opened an independent practice in Nelson with a satellite office in Amherst County. Embracing the idea of a rural general practice, Goodwin practices in the areas of criminal defense, civil litigation, estate litigation, representation of children in various proceedings and family law. “Practicing law in Nelson was always the plan,” Goodwin stated. “I began observing local judges and working in the Commonwealth Attorney’s office in both Nelson and Amherst years ago when a law student. I took the time to develop relationships with local law enforcement, probation officers and clerk’s staff, all of which has aided me in my years as a practicing attorney.”

Goodwin says she has contemplated a career in prosecution for some time but was struggling with the idea of discontinuing her service to the local community. “I view this elected position as a way to play an active role in the wellbeing of the residents of Nelson. As Commonwealth Attorney I will seek to protect the person and property of each citizen while maintaining a high level of professionalism and integrity. I am passionate about the law and about this community. It is that passion that will drive me to work hard to ensure that I am meeting the expectations of the citizens of Nelson. This will be the largest job interview of my life and if elected as Commonwealth Attorney I will serve every day knowing that I owe a duty to each resident of Nelson County.”