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Virginia Supreme Court
The highest court in Virginia. Who sits on it, how they got there and how long their terms run.
Direct legislative appointmentHow justices are chosenThe state legislature chooses the justices.
12 yearsTerm length
7Sitting justices
1776Founded
No public decision data available for this court. There is no free, consistently coded source of how each state justice votes in cases, so this site doesn't score state judges.
Justices
Cleo Powell
Chief Justice · Supreme Court of Virginia
Party as listed: Nonpartisan
Took office: August 1, 2011
Appointing official: not listed
Photo: Ballotpedia
Teresa M. Chafin
Justice · Supreme Court of Virginia
Party as listed: Nonpartisan
Took office: September 1, 2019
Appointing official: not listed
Photo: Ballotpedia
Junius P. Fulton III
Justice · Supreme Court of Virginia
Party as listed: Nonpartisan
Took office: January 1, 2026
Appointing official: not listed
Photo: Ballotpedia
D. Arthur Kelsey
Justice · Supreme Court of Virginia
Party as listed: Nonpartisan
Took office: March 6, 2015
Appointing official: not listed
Photo: Ballotpedia
Thomas P. Mann
Justice · Supreme Court of Virginia
Party as listed: Nonpartisan
Took office: August 1, 2022
Appointing official: not listed
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Stephen R. McCullough
Justice · Supreme Court of Virginia
Party as listed: Nonpartisan
Took office: March 3, 2016
Appointing official: not listed
Photo: Ballotpedia
Wesley G. Russell Jr.
Justice · Supreme Court of Virginia
Party as listed: Nonpartisan
Took office: July 1, 2022
Appointing official: not listed
Photo: Ballotpedia
Source: Ballotpedia, Virginia Supreme Court (retrieved Oct 26, 2026). “Party as listed” is Ballotpedia’s label; many state justices are officially nonpartisan. Photos from each justice’s Ballotpedia page (or Wikimedia Commons where Ballotpedia has none). Click a name for a short profile.