Supreme Court of Virginia
Richmond · A court of last resort in Virginia.
The Supreme Court of Virginia is the highest court in Virginia. Its justices are chosen by election by the state legislature. This page lists every justice to serve on the court, current and former, with when they joined the bench and whom they succeeded.
Current bench verified against the court’s official roster, 2026-07-02.
Current justices
- Chief JusticeCleo E. Powell
- S. B. Goodwyn
- LeRoy F. Millette Jr.
- William C. Mims
- Denham A. Kelsey
- Stephen R. McCullough
- Teresa M. Chafin
- Thomas P. Mann
- Wesley G. Russell Jr.
- Junius P. Fulton III
Former justices
| Justice | Years |
|---|---|
| Elizabeth A. McClanahan | 2011 |
| George Steven Agee | 2003–2008 |
| Donald W. Lemons | 2000 |
| Cynthia D. Kinser | 1997 |
| Lawrence L. Koontz | 1995–2011 |
| Barbara Milano Keenan | 1991–2010 |
| Leroy Rountree Hassell Sr. | 1989–2011 |
| Elizabeth B. Lacy | 1989–2007 |
| Henry H. Whiting | 1987–1995 |
| John Charles Thomas | 1983–1989 |
| Charles S. Russell | 1982–1991 |
| Roscoe B. Stephenson Jr. | 1981–1997 |
| William Carrington Thompson | 1980–1983 |
| Asbury Christian Compton | 1974–2000 |
| Richard Harding Poff | 1972–1988 |
| George M. Cochran | 1969–1987 |
| Alexander Harman | 1969–1979 |
| Albertis S. Harrison | 1967–1981 |
| Thomas C. Gordon | 1965–1972 |
| Harry L. Carrico | 1961–2003 |
| Lawrence W. I'Anson | 1958–1981 |
| Harold Fleming Snead | 1957–1974 |
| Lemuel F. Smith | 1951–1956 |
| Kennon C. Whittle | 1951–1965 |
| Willis D. Miller | 1947–1960 |
| Abram Penn Staples | 1947–1951 |
| Archibald C. Buchanan | 1946–1969 |
| Claude V. Spratley | 1936–1967 |
| Claude W. Eggleston | 1935–1969 |
| George L. Browning | 1930–1947 |
| Herbert B. Gregory | 1930–1951 |
| Edward W. Hudgins | 1930–1958 |
| Henry W. Holt | 1928–1947 |
| Preston W. Campbell | 1924–1946 |
How a justice reaches this court. Justices of the Supreme Court of Virginia are elected by the state legislature to 12-year terms. Justices are elected by a majority vote of each house of the General Assembly to twelve-year terms. Selection methods vary by jurisdiction and have changed over time; this page reflects the court’s current method (source: National Center for State Courts). Open any justice to see their tenure and whom they succeeded.
Source: Current roster: Supreme Court of Virginia — Virginia's Judicial System and CourtListener / Free Law Project (bulk data); selection method from the National Center for State Courts. Data as of 2026-07-02 (official roster); historical bench 2026-03-31 (CourtListener bulk snapshot). Verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).