---
title: "Curtis M. Hairston | KnowJudges"
canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/curtis-m-hairston-va-chesterfield-circuit-court"
page_type: "judge_profile"
updated: "2026-07-26"
---

# Curtis M. Hairston

Chesterfield Circuit Court · Judge

## Profile

- Court: Chesterfield Circuit Court
- State: Virginia
- Role: Judge
- Service status: active
- Last verified: 2026-07-26

## Summary

Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge.

## Before you appear

- Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed.
- Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance.
- Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding.

## Courtroom Rules

### cell phones and electronic devices

Scope: statewide

Virginia courts commonly restrict cell phones and other electronic devices in court buildings; counsel and litigants should check the local court policy before arrival.

Evidence excerpt: Most courts in Virginia do not allow you to bring a cell phone or other electronic device into the building.

[Cell Phone & Electronic Device Policy](https://selfhelp.vacourts.gov/node/30/cell-phone-electronic-device-policy)
Source checked: 2026-07-26


## Sources

- [Official profile](https://www.vacourts.gov/static/directories/judges_rule115.pdf)
- [Official roster](https://www.vacourts.gov/static/directories/judges_rule115.pdf)
- [Office of the Executive Secretary, Supreme Court of Virginia official judicial roster](https://www.vacourts.gov/static/directories/judges_rule115.pdf)
- [Cell Phone & Electronic Device Policy](https://selfhelp.vacourts.gov/node/30/cell-phone-electronic-device-policy)

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## Biography

### Professional career

- Williams Mullen, Christian & Dobbins, and subsequently became a partner at the Gee Law Firm

### Education

- University of Virginia School of Law in — J.D. (1987)

### Additional information

- On October 1, 2021, Curtis Hairston made history by becoming one of the first two Black men sworn in as full-time judges in Chesterfield County, serving in the General District Court.
- His appointment was part of a special session of the Virginia General Assembly in August 2021, reflecting both his professional excellence and the county’s commitment to diversity in the judiciary.
- He graduated cum laude from Harvard University in 1984
- Curtis M. Hairston, Jr. was born on October 22, 1962, in Martinsville, Virginia.
- Practiced law for more than 30 years
- Curtis Hairston’s career reflects a combination of legal expertise, public service, and historic significance.
- representing individuals and corporate clients in areas including general civil litigation, personal injury, railroad defense, commercial litigation, and labor and employment law.
- Hairston has been active in numerous legal organizations, including the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel, and the John Marshall Inn of Court.
- He has also held leadership roles in the Old Dominion and Richmond Bar Associations.
- His appointment as a judge not only represents personal achievement but also serves as a pathbreaker for greater diversity in Virginia’s judicial system.
- He also served on the Virginia Board of Bar Examiners’ character and fitness committee, evaluating whether attorneys should be permitted to practice law in the state.