RICHMOND -- Virginia Supreme Court Justice Steven Agee of Salem moved another step closer to a seat on the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday, winning unanimous approval from the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The panel sent Agee's nomination to the full Senate. A confirmation vote likely will occur before the Memorial Day recess, according to a news release issued by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.

Leahy said that Agee's nomination represents a breakthrough in efforts to fill five vacancies on the Richmond-based court. Previous nominations by President Bush have been stalled. But both Virginia senators, Republican John Warner and Democrat Jim Webb, recommended Agee as a candidate for the court and Bush nominated Agee in March.

Agee is one of two Roanoke Valley jurists Bush has nominated to fill vacancies on the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, which hears cases from federal courts in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina and South Carolina. Bush last week tapped U.S. District Court Judge Glen Conrad of Roanoke for a seat on the appellate court. Like Agee, Conrad has the backing of Warner and Webb.

Agee has served on the Virginia Supreme Court since 2003 and was on the Virginia Court of Appeals from 2001 to 2003. He also served 12 years in the House of Delegates.

-- Michael Sluss