---
title: "Gordon F. Willis | KnowJudges"
canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/gordon-f-willis-va-fredericksburg-circuit-court"
page_type: "judge_profile"
updated: "2026-07-26"
---

# Gordon F. Willis

Fredericksburg Circuit Court · Judge

## Profile

- Court: Fredericksburg 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

- Prior to his judicial appointment, Willis was a partner at Willis, Braxton, Ashby & Bass, where he specialized in corporate, probate, real estate, and insurance law

### Education

- University of Virginia — J.D. (1986)

### Additional information

- His term on the bench is set to continue through 2023, following re-election by the Virginia General Assembly.
- Elected to the bench by the Virginia General Assembly on July 1, 2019.
- Both his Bachelor’s degree (1983)
- Gordon F. Willis was born on February 13, 1961, in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
- representing clients such as First Virginia Bank, Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, and the National Bank of Fredericksburg.
- As a circuit court judge, Willis presides over civil and criminal cases, with court procedures including term days, motion days, and estate matters handled by appointment.
- 15th Judicial Circuit Court of Virginia, which covers Fredericksburg and surrounding counties including Caroline, Essex, Hanover, King George, Lancaster, Northumberland, Richmond, Spotsylvania, Stafford, and Westmoreland.
- His career reflects a combination of private legal practice and public judicial service, highlighting his contributions to the legal community in Virginia.
- He has issued rulings on local government matters, such as a case involving the City of Fredericksburg’s city council appointment process, demonstrating his role in interpreting municipal charters and state law.
- He has been an active member of professional organizations including the Virginia Bar Association, Fredericksburg Bar Association, American Bar Association, Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys, and the Defense Research Institute.
- His legal career spans both state and federal courts, reflecting extensive experience in trials and general practice matters.