RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ The Supreme Court of Virginia is being asked to temporarily block the planned closure of Sweet Briar College. With arguments scheduled Thursday, the justices are considering the appeal of a Circuit Court ruling that refused to put the brakes on the August shuttering of the all-women’s college. The lawsuit brought by Amherst County Attorney Ellen Bowyer maintains the college is a trust based on the will of its founder and Sweet Briar’s decision to close must be approved by a court. The college maintains its decision to close rests solely with its governing board. It’s not clear when the justices will rule but in taking the appeal they noted the intense public interest in the issue. Typically, a ruling is issued a month or more after arguments.
