Marriage between attorney, incoming judge complicates things in Western District court [Video]

When Jasmine Yoon begins her work as a federal judge this year, she may be hearing cases prosecuted by her husband’s office, raising questions about potential conflicts of interest and if one or the other is willing to resign or recuse themselves.

Last month, the U.S. Senate confirmed Yoon to fill a vacancy in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia, which has courthouses in Abingdon, Charlottesville, Danville, Harrisonburg, Lynchburg and Roanoke.

A University of Virginia graduate and Charlottesville local, Yoon is currently the vice president for corporate integrity, ethics and investigations at Capital One Financial Corporation. She will be the first Asian American federal judge in Virginia and the first judge of color in the district when she takes her seat.

She also happens to be married to U.S. District Attorney Christopher Kavanaugh, the government’s leading criminal prosecutor in the Western District of Virginia. As such, …