H. Eugene Oliver, III, is the Managing Partner of Evans
Oliver, PLC in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Eugene focuses his practice on criminal
defense in both state and federal courts. Eugene dedicates a significant
portion of his practice to indigent defense as his primary jurisdiction lacks a
public defender’s office. He is also on the Criminal Justice Act panel for the
Western District of Virginia. Eugene currently serves on the Membership,
Diversity and Criminalization of Voting Rights committees of NACDL.
Eugene previously served as President of his state
affiliate, the Virginia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers in 2021 and
served on VACDL’s Board of Directors from 2018 to 2022. During his time on the
Board of Directors of VACDL, Eugene organized CLEs, taught at CLEs,
participated in lobbying on several criminal justice reforms (including
successful efforts in abolishing mandatory jury sentencing, probation reform,
and eliminating presumptions against bond to name a few), and advocated for a
renewed organizational commitment to criminal and social justice. He served as chair
of VACDL’s Judicial Nominations, Indigent Representation, and Executive
Committees along with being an active member of its Legislative Committee.
Eugene has dedicated considerable time and efforts into
improving the criminal justice system in Virginia. He has advocated the
Virginia General Assembly to improve compensation in indigent defense cases and
to increase resources available to indigent defendants, including on bills on
increasing access to mental health defenses. He regularly participates in
lobbying efforts in the Virginia General Assembly in favor of criminal justice
and reform bills. He took the lead within VACDL in advocating to members of
both the House of Delegates and the State Senate in favor of SB5007 in 2020
which led to the once unthinkable elimination of mandatory jury sentencing in
Virginia, which was one of the biggest deterrents to the constitutional right
to a jury trial in Virginia. He is a big believer in the positive effects of
changes and the efforts through a voluntary organization can have on the day to
day lives of his clients and colleagues.
Eugene is married and the proud father to twins. He was the
first person in his family to graduate from college (and subsequently law
school), graduating with a B.A. from the College of William & Mary in 2005
and the George Washington University Law School in 2008. In his free time, he follows
Baltimore sports teams, basketball in general, hikes, travels, and goes to
concerts.
