Mary G. O'Brien at a glance
- Current role
- Judge
- Jurisdiction
- Virginia · State
- Judicial service
- Active
Mary G. O'Brien
Judge · Court of Appeals of Virginia
Biography
Professional career
- 2015–present: Judge, Court of Appeals of Virginia, elected by the Virginia General Assembly; term began February 1, 2015
- Mary Grace O’Brien is an American judge serving on the Court of Appeals of Virginia, a position she has held since February 1, 2015
- 2008: First female Circuit Court Judge in Virginia’s 31st Judicial Circuit
- 2001–2008: Judge, Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court, Prince William County
- 1985: Joined Prince William County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, prosecuting major narcotics and sexual assault cases
- 1983–1985: Judicial law clerk to Hon. Roscoe B. Stephenson Jr., Supreme Court of Virginia
- As a Judge of the Court of Appeals of Virginia, O’Brien hears appeals from lower court cases across the state, applying Virginia law and procedural rules
- The first woman to serve as a Circuit Court Judge in Virginia’s 31st Judicial Circuit
Education
- B.A. in English, Le Moyne College (1980) J.D., Washington and Lee University School of Law (1983)
Additional information
- Her current term runs until January 31, 2023.
- Born: 1958, Buffalo, New York
- O’Brien has served on the Board of Governors of the Virginia State Bar Section on the Education of Lawyers, the Model Jury Instruction Committee, the Association of District Court Judges Benchbook Committee, and the Virginia State Bar Professionalism Faculty.
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 ↗