In late July, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) appointed Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Jane Marum Roush to the opening that arose with Justice LeRoy F. Millette Jr.’s July 31 retirement from the state Supreme Court. Nevertheless, the General Assembly, relying on its constitutional prerogatives, seemingly will permit Roush’s appointment to expire and elect Virginia Court of Appeals Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr. at its sessionthat begins Wednesday.

Roush and Alston are highly qualified. However, the assembly should elect Roush because she is an experienced, mainstream jurist who has served on the Supreme Court for more than five months and because removal of a sitting justice for reasons unrelated to fitness would “make a mockery of the Virginia judicial appointment process,” as 24 past Virginia Bar Association presidents proclaimed in August.

The Virginia Constitution grants the General Assembly the authority to elect justices, but it also empowers the governor to appoint justices if vacancies arise when the legislature is not in session. Virginia has a part-time legislature that regularly meets for only 46 days in odd-numbered years and 60 in even-numbered ones. This means it is common and necessary for the governor to make interim Supreme Court appointments to ensure a smoothly functioning judiciary — the co-equal third branch of state government — during the more than 300 days a year the legislature is not in session.

In the 115 years that the General Assembly has elected governors’ picks, the 31 gubernatorial appointees to the Supreme Court have been elected by the General Assembly. This includes Republican governors’ appointees later elected by Democratic-controlled assemblies. Most notable is former chief justice Cynthia Kinser, appointed by Gov. George Allen (R) in 1997 and then elected by the assembly and who served with great distinction, becoming the first female chief justice in the commonwealth.

Since 1960, justices who were gubernatorial appointees and subsequently elected by the assembly include respected jurists, such as Harry L. Carrico, Thomas C. Gordon, Albertis S. Harrison Jr., Alexander Harman Jr., George M. Cochran, Richard H. Poff, A. Christian Compton, John Charles Thomas, Elizabeth B. Lacy, Leroy R. Hassell Sr. , Bernard Goodwyn and Millette.

Over the summer, the governor appointed Roush with the support of the Fairfax County delegation, including Del. David B. Albo (R-Fairfax), chair of the House Courts of Justice Committee. The delegation lauded Roush as “one of the premier ” Virginia judges and said she is “non-political, and most importantly, she knows that a judge applies, not writes, the law.”

Days after Roush assumed office, House Speaker William J. Howell (R-Stafford) and Senate Majority Leader Thomas K. Norment Jr. (R-James City) announced that their respective caucuses would support Alston for the vacancy. Their concern was not with Roush’s abilities but rather the governor’s failure to consult them before appointing Roush.

Norment conceded that “Gov. McAuliffe has designated a different candidate, who is also highly qualified,” but he expected lawmakers to elect Alston at an Aug. 17 special legislative session. However, Sen. John C. Watkins (R-Powhatan) joined all of the Democrats in not voting for Alston and adjourning the session.

In the 2016 regular session, Republican lawmakers appear poised to remove a very experienced justice appointed by the governor, depriving the commonwealth of her expertise gleaned across more than 22 years as a dedicated public servant. More important, removing a sitting justice for political reasons — reasons unrelated to her qualifications, performance or ability to serve — would undermine the stability and reputation of Virginia’s court system. Indeed, the political bickering over Roush’s appointment has eroded citizen respect for all three government branches and the judicial selection process.

Republicans must seriously reconsider their expressed intention to remove Roush. That action would directly contravene 115 years of tradition and practice. When the legislature convenes, lawmakers should promptly elect Roush.

The writer is the Williams Chair at the University of Richmond Law School.