Cleo Powell

Cleo Powell
Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia
Incumbent
Assumed office August 1, 2011
Preceded by	Leroy R. Hassell Sr.
Judge of the Virginia Court of Appeals
In office August 15, 2008 – August 1, 2011
Appointed by	Tim Kaine
Preceded by	LeRoy F. Millette Jr.
Succeeded by	Glen A. Huff
Personal details
Born	Cleo Elaine Powell (1957-01-12) January 12, 1957 (age 68) Brunswick, Virginia, U.S.
Spouse	Alvin Larnell Dilworth
Education	University of Virginia (BA, JD)

Cleo Elaine Powell (born January 12, 1957) is a justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia. The first African-American female to serve on Virginia's highest court, she is also the fifth woman to serve on the court.^[1] On October 21, 2023, Justice Powell was sworn in for her second twelve month term, which now ends on July 31, 2025.

Early life and education

Born in humble circumstances in Brunswick County, Virginia,^[2] Powell received an undergraduate degree in government from the University of Virginia in 1979.^[3] She returned to Charlottesville for legal studies and received her Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1982.^[4]

Career

Upon admission to the Virginia bar, Powell worked at Hunton & Williams as an associate lawyer (1982-1986), specializing in labor and employment law.^[5] Powell then entered government service in the office of the Virginia Attorney General Mary Sue Terry, rising to become Senior Assistant for the Equal Employment Opportunity and Personnel Section before departing in 1989.^[5] She then re-entered the private sector as a corporate counsel for Virginia Power, and directed their employee services section until 1993.^[5][6]

In 1993 following a conversation with former Richmond mayor and state senator Henry L. Marsh, Powell returned to the public sector, and would serve as a judge at every level of Virginia's judicial system.^[2] The Virginia General Assembly first elected her as a General District Court Judge for Chesterfield and Colonial Heights, Virginia, and she served in that position until 2000. Elected as a Circuit Court Judge for the 12th Judicial Circuit (the same geographic area), she continued to serve in that trial position until 2008. During the administration of then Governor Tim Kaine, legislators elected her to the Court of Appeals of Virginia, and she served in that position until mid-2011.^[7]

Following the death of Leroy R. Hassell, Virginia governor Bob McDonnell nominated her to fill the vacancy, then legislators elected Powell to the Virginia Supreme Court on July 29, 2011, and she took the oath of office on August 2, 2011.^[7][8] She was re-elected twelve years later, and took the oath of office for her current twelve year term on October 21, 2023, so her term expires in 2035.^[9]

In 2013, Powell was honored as one of the Library of Virginia's "Virginia Women in History".^[10] She has received other awards, and is also currently a distinguished visiting professor of law at the Appalachian School of Law.^[5]

See also

• List of African-American jurists

References

1. "Cleo Powell, Va.'s first black female justice to be sworn in" WJLA. Retrieved October 18, 2015.
2. Hardersen, Kayla (December 5, 2023). "How a girl from Ante made it to the Va. Supreme Court". Independent-Messenger.
3. "Judge Cleo E. Powell". Council on Legal Education Opportunity.
4. Justice Powell
5. "Justice Cleo E. Powell". Appalachian School of Law.
6. "Cleo E. Powell Biography". Greater RichmondSHRM.
7. "Cleo E. Powell, August 2, 2011-present". Virginia Appellate Court History. May 16, 2014.
8. "Powell sworn in as justice on Virginia Supreme Court" Archived January 5, 2013, at archive.today Richmond Times Dispatch
9. "Judge_Cleo_Powell". AFRO American Newspapers. February 28, 2025.
10. "Virginia Women in History: Cleo Elaine Powell". Library of Virginia. Retrieved March 4, 2015.

External links

• Powell's biography at the Library of Virginia

Legal offices
Preceded by Leroy R. Hassell Sr.	Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia 2011–present	Incumbent