Judith L. Wheat at a glance
- Current role
- Judge
- Jurisdiction
- Virginia · State
- Judicial service
- Active
Judith L. Wheat
Judge · Arlington Circuit Court
Biography
Professional career
- Founding Partner, Griffith & Wheat, PLLC, Washington, D.C. (since 2009)
- She became Chief Judge in 2023, succeeding Hon. William T. Newman Jr., and is the first woman to lead the Circuit Court
- Partner at Venable, LLP and Cacheris & Treanor
- The Chief Judge of Virginia’s 17th Judicial Circuit, serving Arlington County and the City of Falls Church, and is the first woman to hold that role
- Earlier in her career, she was a judicial law clerk to Hon. Barbara M. Keenan on the Virginia Court of Appeals
Education
- Georgetown University Law Center — J.D. (1989)
- Georgetown University — B.A.
Additional information
- Elected to the bench by the Virginia General Assembly in 2019.
- Admitted to the Virginia Bar (1989) and the District of Columbia Bar (1991).
- Served on boards including the Arlington Alcohol Safety Action Program and the Walter T. McCarthy Law Library.
- Judge Wheat presides over the 17th Judicial Circuit Court of Virginia, the trial court of general jurisdiction for Arlington County and Falls Church.
- One of three women currently serving as chief judge in Arlington’s local courts.
- Prior to judicial service, she was Counsel to the Clerk of the Arlington Circuit Court.
- Judge Wheat has been active in Arlington and Falls Church civic life, serving on the Aurora House Citizens’ Advisory Committee, Rock Spring Civic Association, and Lee Highway Alliance.
- Taught trial advocacy and deposition skills at the National Institute of Trial Advocacy.
- She is also a past president of The Barristers and a member of the Lawyers Club of the District of Columbia.
Applicable Court Rules & Procedures
Cell Phones And Electronic Devices
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.
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 ↗
Sources
Identity source checked July 26, 2026.
Biography sources checked October 11, 2026.
Office of the Executive Secretary, Supreme Court of Virginia official judicial roster
Identity source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Office of the Executive Secretary, Supreme Court of Virginia official judicial roster ↗Cell Phone & Electronic Device Policy
Statewide source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Cell Phone & Electronic Device Policy ↗