---
title: "Gerald Bruce Lee | KnowJudges"
canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/gerald-bruce-lee-1890"
page_type: "judge_profile"
updated: "2026-10-09"
---

# Gerald Bruce Lee

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia · Judge

## Profile

- Court: U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
- State: Virginia
- Role: Judge
- Service status: active
- Last verified: 2026-06-30

## Summary

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

## Biography

### Professional career

- Judge, District Court, E.D. Virginia, 1998-present
- U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Virginia, serving from 1998 until his retirement in 2017
- Appointed U.S. District Judge: Oct 1, 1998
- Judge, Virginia Circuit Court, Nineteenth Judicial Circuit, 1992-1998
- Before his federal appointment, he held the role of a judge on Virginia’s 19th Judicial Circuit (Fairfax County) from 1992 to 1998.
- Private practice, Fairfax County, VA, 1976-1992
- Private practice at Cohen, Dunn & Sinclair (Alexandria, VA)
- Circuit Court Judge, 19th Judicial Circuit, Fairfax County
- Remembered for his commitment to justice, his work in complex and sensitive cases, and his dedication to public service both in the courtroom and in community leadership

### Education

- American University — B.A. (1973)
- Washington College of Law

### Additional information

- He presided over a wide range of civil and criminal cases in the Eastern District of Virginia until retiring on September 30, 2017.
- Joined the court in 1998 after being nominated by President Bill Clinton, and he retired from judicial service on September 30, 2017.
- He later joined the American University Board of Trustees in 2009.
- Nominated by President Bill Clinton on May 22, 1998, to replace James C. Cacheris, confirmed by the Senate on September 28, 1998, and commissioned on October 1, 1998.
- Born February 9, 1952.
- Date of birth: 1952-01-01
- Recognized for his leadership roles in the Virginia State Bar, Northern Virginia Black Attorneys Association, and the Virginia Judicial Conference.
- Board Member, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority
- Before law, Lee held a position as a producer for WAMU-FM and was inspired by legal advocacy during his undergrad years.
- He is also a Certified Mediator and has been active in alternative dispute resolution.
- Birth place: Washington, DC

## 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.courtlistener.com/person/1890/gerald-bruce-lee/)
- [Official roster](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/1890/gerald-bruce-lee/)
- [U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia current judicial profile](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/1890/gerald-bruce-lee/)
- [Cell Phone & Electronic Device Policy](https://selfhelp.vacourts.gov/node/30/cell-phone-electronic-device-policy)
- [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/1890/gerald-bruce-lee/)
- [Gerald Lee - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Gerald_Lee)
- [Wikidata: Gerald Bruce Lee](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5548967)

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