Supreme Court of 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.
| Justice | Since |
|---|---|
| Cynthia D. Kinser | 1997 |
| Donald W. Lemons | 2000 |
| S. Bernard Goodwyn | 2007 |
| LeRoy F. Millette Jr. | 2008 |
| William C. Mims | 2010 |
| Elizabeth A. McClanahan | 2011 |
| Cleo E. Powell | 2011 |
| Denham Arthur Kelsey | 2015 |
| Justice | Years |
|---|---|
| George Steven Agee | 2003–2008 |
| 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: CourtListener / Free Law Project; selection method from the National Center for State Courts. Data last verified 2026-06-30. Verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).