On Jan. 1, 2026, Justice Cleo E. Powell will officially become the first Black woman to serve as Chief Justice of the Virginia Supreme Court.
Justice Powell’s election will forever be etched in the history of the Commonwealth. Her appointment is both a personal triumph and a powerful milestone for representation, progress, and the future of the judiciary.
Born and raised in Brunswick County, Virginia, Powell’s journey to the state’s highest court reflects determination, brilliance, and trailblazing leadership. She first made history in 2011 as the first Black woman justice appointed to the Supreme Court of Virginia.
Now, 15 years later, she will take the helm of the court as chief justice, building on a career that has shattered barriers and opened doors for others.
Powell is a proud double alumna of the University of Virginia, graduating with distinction in government in 1979 before earning her law degree in 1982.
Her path through the legal system is extraordinary: she is the only justice in Virginia’s history to have served at every level of the state’s judicial branch — from the General District Court, to the Circuit Court, to the Court of Appeals, and ultimately, the Supreme Court.
Beyond her judicial career, Powell has been a mentor and role model, consistently urging others to see themselves as trailblazers. In a 2021 commencement address at UVA Law, she reminded graduates: “We can all through a million little ways make a path easier, more illuminated, less treacherous for others who will come after.”
Her election to the top seat of the court is a vivid reflection of that message. From Brunswick County to the Commonwealth’s highest bench, Justice Cleo E. Powell’s story is a beacon of what is possible — a call for women of color and all underrepresented communities to keep breaking barriers, striving for excellence, and leaving a path for others to follow.
