---
title: "Rachel D. Thompson | KnowJudges"
canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/rachel-d-thompson-va-roanoke-county-juvenile-and-domestic-relations-district-court"
page_type: "judge_profile"
updated: "2026-07-26"
---

# Rachel D. Thompson

Roanoke County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court · Judge

## Profile

- Court: Roanoke County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District 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

- held a position as an associate attorney at Amaryllis Law, becoming partner in 2020 and owner in 2022

### Education

- Rachel Thompson earned her J.D. from Liberty University School of Law in 2012 and a B.A. in Spanish and business from Messiah College.

### Additional information

- Received multiple awards, including Federal Bar Association Immigration Law Section Lawyer of the Year (2024).
- Appointments: Sworn in June 6, 2024, by Chief Judge James R. Swanson; term began July 1, 2024.
- Interned at Poarch Law (now Amaryllis Law) and Commonwealth Catholic Charities.
- representing both immigrants and employers.
- Served on the Salem City School Board before her judicial appointment.
- Court schedule: Handles juvenile criminal, custody, support, and domestic cases; sessions held on set Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
- Specialized in immigration law, adoption cases, and child advocacy
- Thompson has expressed a strong commitment to juvenile justice and family welfare, noting that “juveniles are our future” and that her judicial role builds on her advocacy work.
- She is also an adjunct faculty member at Liberty University School of Law, teaching adoption law.
- She resides in Salem, VA, with her husband, four children, and two dogs.