Walter Edward Hoffman

Hoffman was soon caught up in desegregation cases arising from Virginia's (or the Byrd Organization's) policy of Massive Resistance. Initially, he handled them on his docket, but soon a three judge panel was created: of Hoffman, Senior 4th Circuit Judge Morris Ames Soper and fellow district judge Charles Sterling Hutcheson (until his retirement). Many of those cases were appealed by the losing Virginia entities to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal and United States Supreme Court. Those included the attempted closing of Seashore State Park to avoid integration, as well as attempts to keep Norfolk's schools segregated, and to harass the NAACP attorneys bringing desegregation cases (Harrison v. NAACP, NAACP v. Button, both of which were actually handled by David J. Mays and his associates as outside counsel).

During his judicial career, Hoffman drew considerable praise as well as criticism (including a cross being burned on his lawn) for his handling of cases involving Massive resistance and desegregation of schools in Norfolk and Hampton Roads.[2] He handled several cases involving boundary disputes between states at the direction of the United States Supreme Court, and presided over the trial of fellow Judge Harry E. Claiborne, as well as sentenced Vice-President Spiro Agnew after his plea of nolo contendere.[3] A firm believer in litigants' rights to a speedy trial, Hoffman introduced the "rocket docket" in his district, which continues today.[4]