Delaware News

Governor Markell Announces Family Court Nominations

Former Governor Jack Markell (2009-2017) | Office of the Governor | Date Posted: Monday, September 19, 2016



Wilmington, DE – Governor Markell today announced that he will be nominating three individuals to serve on the Family Court of the State of Delaware. James G. McGiffin, Jr. will be nominated to serve as a Judge of the Family Court in Kent County, Gretchen C. Gilchrist will be nominated to serve as a Commissioner of the Family Court in Kent County, and Theresa A. Sedivec will be nominated to serve as a Commissioner of the Family Court in New Castle County.

“From the beginning of my administration, I have been fortunate to nominate a large number of supremely qualified and dedicated individuals to serve as members of the Delaware judiciary,” said Governor Markell. “My nominations of Jim, Gretchen and Theresa are a continuation of that good fortune. If confirmed by the Senate, I am confident that each of them will bring their significant talent and work ethic to bear in a way that will continue to make our Family Court a source of justice for all who appear before it.”

James G. McGiffin, Jr. will be nominated to the Kent County position on Family Court left open by the retirement of the Honorable William J. Walls, Jr. A former Family Court Commissioner and Dover City Councilman, McGiffin currently serves as Senior Staff Attorney to Community Legal Aid Society, Inc. and as Counsel to the Delaware State Senate Majority Caucus. His work at Community Legal Aid Society, Inc. – where he has served in a number of positions, including as its Executive Director from 1998-2005 – has spanned over twenty years. He received his law degree from Boston College Law School in 1985.

Gretchen C. Gilchrist has owned her own law firm in Smyrna, Delaware since 2010, where she specializes in family law and estate planning. She also serves as a volunteer attorney for Delaware Volunteer Legal Services, Inc. Ms. Gilchrist is being nominated to fill the position left vacant when the Honorable Louann Vari left her Commissioner position to serve as a Judge on the Kent County Family Court. Before opening her own law firm, Ms. Gilchrist engaged in private practice and served as a Legislative Advisor to Wilmington City Council from 2003-2009. Ms. Gilchrist is a 1988 graduate of Hampton University and received her law degree in 1991 from Widener University School of Law.

Theresa A. Sedivec currently serves as the Unit Head of the Juvenile Delinquency and Truancy Unit within the Family Division of the Delaware Department of Justice. A graduate of Mount Pleasant High School in Wilmington and the University of Delaware, Ms. Sedivec received her law degree from Widener University School of Law in 2003. Prior to becoming Unit Head of the Juvenile Delinquency and Truancy Unit, Ms. Sedivec served as a Deputy Attorney General for the Child Support Enforcement Unit, Child Protection Unit, and Juvenile Crime Unit. Ms. Sedivec is being nominated to fill the position left vacant when the Honorable Janell Ostroski was nominated to a Family Court Judgeship.

The Senate is expected to consider these nominations in a special session on October 13, 2016.

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Governor Markell Announces Family Court Nominations

Former Governor Jack Markell (2009-2017) | Office of the Governor | Date Posted: Monday, September 19, 2016



Wilmington, DE – Governor Markell today announced that he will be nominating three individuals to serve on the Family Court of the State of Delaware. James G. McGiffin, Jr. will be nominated to serve as a Judge of the Family Court in Kent County, Gretchen C. Gilchrist will be nominated to serve as a Commissioner of the Family Court in Kent County, and Theresa A. Sedivec will be nominated to serve as a Commissioner of the Family Court in New Castle County.

“From the beginning of my administration, I have been fortunate to nominate a large number of supremely qualified and dedicated individuals to serve as members of the Delaware judiciary,” said Governor Markell. “My nominations of Jim, Gretchen and Theresa are a continuation of that good fortune. If confirmed by the Senate, I am confident that each of them will bring their significant talent and work ethic to bear in a way that will continue to make our Family Court a source of justice for all who appear before it.”

James G. McGiffin, Jr. will be nominated to the Kent County position on Family Court left open by the retirement of the Honorable William J. Walls, Jr. A former Family Court Commissioner and Dover City Councilman, McGiffin currently serves as Senior Staff Attorney to Community Legal Aid Society, Inc. and as Counsel to the Delaware State Senate Majority Caucus. His work at Community Legal Aid Society, Inc. – where he has served in a number of positions, including as its Executive Director from 1998-2005 – has spanned over twenty years. He received his law degree from Boston College Law School in 1985.

Gretchen C. Gilchrist has owned her own law firm in Smyrna, Delaware since 2010, where she specializes in family law and estate planning. She also serves as a volunteer attorney for Delaware Volunteer Legal Services, Inc. Ms. Gilchrist is being nominated to fill the position left vacant when the Honorable Louann Vari left her Commissioner position to serve as a Judge on the Kent County Family Court. Before opening her own law firm, Ms. Gilchrist engaged in private practice and served as a Legislative Advisor to Wilmington City Council from 2003-2009. Ms. Gilchrist is a 1988 graduate of Hampton University and received her law degree in 1991 from Widener University School of Law.

Theresa A. Sedivec currently serves as the Unit Head of the Juvenile Delinquency and Truancy Unit within the Family Division of the Delaware Department of Justice. A graduate of Mount Pleasant High School in Wilmington and the University of Delaware, Ms. Sedivec received her law degree from Widener University School of Law in 2003. Prior to becoming Unit Head of the Juvenile Delinquency and Truancy Unit, Ms. Sedivec served as a Deputy Attorney General for the Child Support Enforcement Unit, Child Protection Unit, and Juvenile Crime Unit. Ms. Sedivec is being nominated to fill the position left vacant when the Honorable Janell Ostroski was nominated to a Family Court Judgeship.

The Senate is expected to consider these nominations in a special session on October 13, 2016.

image_printPrint

Related Topics:  , , ,


Graphic that represents delaware news on a mobile phone

Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.

Here you can subscribe to future news updates.