---
title: "D. Arthur Kelsey | KnowJudges"
canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/d-arthur-kelsey-va-supreme-court-of-virginia"
page_type: "judge_profile"
updated: "2026-08-22"
---

# D. Arthur Kelsey

Supreme Court of Virginia · Justice

## Profile

- Court: Supreme Court of Virginia
- State: Virginia
- Role: Justice
- Service status: active
- Last verified: 2026-08-22

## 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://vacourts.gov/courts/scv/home)
- [Official roster](https://vacourts.gov/courts/scv/home)
- [Virginia's Judicial System official judicial roster](https://vacourts.gov/courts/scv/home)
- [Cell Phone & Electronic Device Policy](https://selfhelp.vacourts.gov/node/30/cell-phone-electronic-device-policy)

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## Biography

### Professional career

- Began his judicial career as a circuit judge for the Fifth Judicial Circuit of Virginia in 2000, covering Suffolk, Southampton, and Isle of Wight counties
- Justice Kelsey’s term on the Supreme Court of Virginia is ongoing, with mandatory retirement set at age 73
- Kelsey has held the role of an adjunct professor at the Marshall-Wythe School of Law (College of William & Mary), Regent University School of Law, and Appalachian School of Law
- He clerked for U.S. District Judge John Ashton MacKenzie in the Eastern District of Virginia before entering private practice, including as a litigation partner at Hunton & Williams.

### Education

- In 2023, he was elected to the American Law Institute, a prestigious organization focused on clarifying and improving American law.
- College of William & Mary Law School in, where he was a member of the Order of the Coif — J.D. (1985)
- He graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in Political Science from Old Dominion University in 1982

### Additional information

- On January 20, 2015, the Virginia General Assembly unanimously elected Kelsey to the Supreme Court of Virginia for a twelve-year term starting February 1, 2015.
- In 2002, Governor Mark Warner appointed him to the Virginia Court of Appeals, where he was subsequently elected for an eight-year term in 2003 and re-elected in 2011.
- Denham Arthur Kelsey was born on October 9, 1961, in Norfolk, Virginia.
- Generally regarded as a conservative jurist.
- His recent rulings demonstrate a commitment to constitutional principles over partisan considerations.
- Legal commentators have cited his handling of the redistricting case as an example of judicial courage, noting that he acted despite potential political consequences and the risk of losing his position.
- He continues to serve on the court and participates in legal organizations such as the Boyd-Graves Conference, which focuses on Virginia law.
- He has authored numerous legal articles, including works on judicial power, legal history, and appellate review.