James Almand, an Arlington native who served more than a quarter-century in the General Assembly and then nearly a decade on the circuit court, died May 14. He was 77.
“The totality of Jim Almand’s career as a legislator and judge is one of the greatest in Arlington’s history,” Clerk of the Circuit Court and former County Board member Paul Ferguson told ARLnow. “He was liked and respected by everyone who knew him.”
Almand’s death comes just a month after that of one of his House of Delegates’ colleagues, Del. Marian Van Landingham, who served portions of Arlington for some of her legislative tenure. Van Landingham died April 4 at age 88.
It also occurred just a few months after the death of another acclaimed Arlington politician-turned-jurist, William Newman, Jr.
Almand is survived by his wife, Cindy Flood Almand; their three children, Andrew, Clare and Brady; and four grandchildren.
Visitation will be held on Friday, May 29, from 2-4 p.m. and again from 6-8 p.m. at First Christian Church (6165 Leesburg Pike). A funeral service will be held at the church on Saturday, May 30, at 10 a.m.
Leaders react to Almand’s death
As news of Almand’s death made its way across Arlington and Virginia, remembrances began to circulate. Among those provided to ARLnow:
Former Del. Bob Brink: “I was so lucky to serve with Jim in my first years in Richmond and to learn from him by example. One of the many things that set Jim apart: Unlike so many of us in the Arlington delegation, who had grown up elsewhere and moved to Arlington later in life, Jim was Arlington born and raised — the product of (as they were known then) Swanson Junior High and Washington-Lee High School. Invariably, on introducing himself at a candidate’s night or civic event, he would note proudly that he had been ‘born in Arlington Hospital.'”
Scott McGeary, civic leader, former Electoral Board member and former chair of the Arlington County Republican Committee: “Judge Almand was an effective legislator, respected on both sides of the political aisle. A natural to be elected by his colleagues to serve on the Circuit Court, he became a distinguished member of the bench. He had a heart for his hometown, reflected well in his community and public service, and he’ll be missed.”
Paul Ferguson: “Jim Almand was always my delegate until he became a Circuit Court judge in 2003. It was a privilege to work with him directly when I became clerk of the Circuit Court in 2008. As a legislator and judge, he was thoughtful, kind, a good listener, problem-solver, and had a great sense of humor.”
Former County Board member and civic leader John Milliken: “My mother [Herselle Milliken] worked for him in the General Assembly for many years, and was devoted to him and his family.”
Local activist Chris Ota DeRosa: “A true public servant!”
Political interests come early
In a 2023 article for the Arlington Historical Magazine co-authored with Susan Prokop, Almand recalled that his interest in politics was first piqued in 1956.
That fall, his father Iverson, an attorney and civic leader, took his 8-year-old son to a campaign rally for Democratic presidential nominee Adlai Stevenson. James Almand’s own first bid for elected office would come several years later in elementary school, when he lost a race for student council by just three votes.
One of his teachers would later write him a letter, telling him not to let the defeat get him down. The teacher wrote that, given his determination, she anticipated he would probably end up as the nation’s president by the late 1980s.
Almand’s first appearance on the pages of the Northern Virginia Sun came on Feb. 13, 1965. Having served as student-council president the year before at what then was known as Swanson Junior High School, he participated in ceremonies marking the school’s 25th anniversary.
At Washington-Lee (now Washington-Liberty) High School, Almand was elected president of the student council. His campaign manager, fellow W-L student Tom Davis, would go on to serve as a member and chair of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and later to the 11th District U.S. House of Representatives seat.
In June 1967, Almand got his first photo in the Sun, when as student-council president at Washington-Lee he accepted an award from the Arlington Safety Council, honoring W-L as having the safest student drivers in the county.
His senior 1966-67 year at W-L was eventful in ways big and small, based on a perusal of the more than 300 pages of the Blue & Gray yearbook.
One of the big events: The high school was celebrating its 40th anniversary. One of the smaller innovations that year, but perhaps more important to Almand and his classmates: For the first time, seniors could use their own dedicated line in the cafeteria.
After high school, Almand attended the College of William and Mary, where he earned both undergraduate and law degrees. Almand is among those included in the college’s “Notable Alumni” listing.
Even when he was away for college, though, Almand stayed engaged with Arlington. For several summers, he served as a temporary sheriff’s deputy in the county. After earning his law degree, he joined the commonwealth’s attorney’s office, headed first by Claude Hilton and then by William Burroughs.
A winning campaign at age 28
Almand was just 28 years old, and just a year past services as president of Virginia Young Democrats, when he waded into electoral politics.
At the time, Arlington comprised the three-member 22nd House of Delegates District, which was represented by Democrats Mary Marshall, Warren Stambaugh and Jack Melnick.
Melnick opted not to run for re-election in 1977 in order to seek the Democratic nomination for attorney general (he came in third of four candidates).
With Marshall and Stambaugh running for re-election and having strong political support, Almand would battle it out against Marianne Karydes for the third slot on the Democratic ticket.
He would finish third behind Marshall and Stambaugh in the June primary and move on to the general election, where the three Democrats faced off against a trio of Republicans.
All three Democrats won the endorsement of the Northern Virginia Sun. While the paper was dubious of “sending another lawyer to Richmond,” its editorial argued that voters should appreciate he was taking stances on controversial issues and that he had “an enthusiasm which could only help this area’s representation in the legislature.”
Marshall, Stambaugh and Almand won the race. The freshman delegate was appointed to the Courts of Justice Committee, at the time a rare honor for someone with no seniority. By 1992, he would chair it.
“He was proud of his relationships with both Democrats and Republicans” in the legislature, Ferguson said.
In the retrospective written for the Arlington Historical Magazine, Almand said there were a number of legislative areas where he believed he had made a difference.
He pointed to issues like tenants’ rights, affordable housing, elected school boards and requiring safety seats for children riding in vehicles.
In 1993, Almand and Sen. Edward Holland successfully patroned legislation limiting gun purchases to one per month in Virginia, something Almand said he was particularly proud of.
Although the restriction was repealed in 2012 after Republicans gained control of the legislature, it was restored in 2021 when Democrats held the governorship and both houses of the General Assembly.
Prokop served as a legislative aide to Almand early in his tenure, and was his campaign manager in subsequent years.
“He was one of the best bosses I ever had, thoughtful, gracious, patient with dumb questions, a great mentor,” she recalled. “And the legislation he championed made one proud to be associated with him.”
“He was also a fun candidate to work for — maybe because he was usually unopposed. I’ve never had as much fun at a campaign event as I did at the Jim Almand Gong Shows,” added Prokop, who, like Almand, was a Washington-Lee High School graduate.
Into the 47th District
By the early 1980s, Virginia was forced to abandon multi-member districts. As a result, members of the House of Delegates, and those who wished to become one, had to run three consecutive years: 1981, 1982 and 1983.
After redistricting, Almand found himself in what then was the new House District 47. He won his first race in the new district unopposed in 1982, and for the remainder of his career in elected office faced no challenges within the Democratic Party and, for the most part, only token challenges in the general election.
In what turned out to be his last race, in 2001, Almand won 66% of the vote against 31% for Republican M.E. Peck and 3% to Libertarian C.E. Austin.
Trading elected office for judicial robes
In 2003, Gov. Warner appointed Almand to fill the vacancy on the 17th Circuit Court created by the retirement of Circuit Court Judge Paul Sheridan.
The appointment to the court, which serves Arlington and Falls Church, later was confirmed by the General Assembly, which subsequently elected Almand a full eight-year term.
In late 2011, he opted for retirement from the bench.
“I’ve been very fortunate. It’s been an honor,” the judge told the Sun Gazette of his nearly four decades of service in Arlington as a prosecutor, legislator and jurist.
“It’s been eight years [on the bench]. That was a good time to retire,” Almand said in the 2011 interview. His retirement plans included traveling, writing and occasional service as a substitute judge, he said.
When Almand departed the General Assembly for the judiciary, his 47th District seat was won by former County Board member Al Eisenberg, who served three two-year terms.
Upon Eisenberg’s decision not to seek re-election, Patrick Hope won the seat in 2009. He continues to hold it, although in redistricting following the 2020 federal census, the 47th morphed into the reconfigured and renamed 1st House District.
Almand “was more than just a public servant,” Hope said in a social-media post. “He was the embodiment of what it means to lead with wisdom, fairness and a deep love for one’s community.”
Lifelong connection to Optimists
Almand was involved in a host of community organizations throughout the years. But one organization seemed to have the strongest pull on him.
The Almand family has a connection with the Optimist Club of Arlington going back to its founding in 1946.
James Almand’s father, Iverson, was a charter member of the service organization, remaining active until his death in 1982. James Almand joined in May 1979, and his son Andrew followed the family tradition to membership.
Retired local attorney Barbara Nicastro had a long association with Almand via the service organization.
“He was a true gentleman, a loyal Optimist,” she said. “I was honored to have known him and to consider him a friend and colleague.”
In September 2024, the Optimist Club saluted the Almand family for its multigenerational commitment.
“It’s another part of public service — the opportunity to help other people,” Almand said of being involved in community organizations during an interview that day with the GazetteLeader.
In the interview, Almand said he most likely was destined to become a club member, since “my birth [at Arlington Hospital] was announced in the Optimist Bulletin,” the club’s newsletter.
In the wake of his death, the Arlington Optimists provided the following statement to ARLnow:
“The Arlington Optimist Club is deeply saddened to learn the news that Judge James Almand has passed away. Jim was an exceptional public servant and a really good human being. Our sincere condolences go out to all the family members and friends.
“Jim was a dedicated and valued member of our club for many years, following his father’s legacy. Jim dutifully and loyally served our club as chairman of the Respect for Law Day for decades. This program recognized and honored law officers and law personnel to include clerks, administrative support personnel and others who served Arlington County as part of the team who often do not receive public recognition for their good work. Jim led this program with quiet and dedicated leadership, making it a favorite day and a distinguished program for the Optimist Club.”
“The Arlington Optimist Club benefited from Jim’s talent, goodness and decency. He was a wonderful Optimist, leader and friend. He will be greatly missed.”
Almand was also a member of an informal group known to its members as the Geezers. Membership, which comes by invitation only, includes senior Arlington civic leaders, former elected officials and members of the judiciary who meet for lunch quarterly to share stories and catch up with each other’s lives.
