AOC: Courthouse construction and court connections raise concerns in Herald Leader stories

Two stories this week raise questions about the appearance of relatives of justices to the the construction of the Commonwealth's courthouses.  Both from the Herald Leader.  Here they are:

• Lambert's son linked to courthouses
  By Linda B. Blackford LBLACKFORD@HERALD-LEADER.COM The son of outgoing Supreme Court Chief Justice Joseph Lambert works for a company that has been the financial adviser on 70 percent of the new courthouses built between 1998 and 2006. Lambert became chief justice in 1998, and oversees a building program that has constructed 60 new courthouses.  click on heading for rest of story.
• Courthouse site owned by justice

  By Brandon Ortiz BORTIZ@HERALD-LEADER.COM PIKEVILLE -- Pike County plans to acquire downtown buildings owned by state Supreme Court Justice Will T. Scott and members of his family for the site of a proposed courthouse. Scott, a justice since 2005, said the land deal poses no conflict of interest since he doesn't even want to sell his property. click on heading for rest of story.