Robert B. Rigney at a glance
- Current role
- Judge
- Jurisdiction
- Virginia · State
- Judicial service
- Active
Robert B. Rigney
Judge · Norfolk Circuit Court
Biography
Professional career
- He also serves on the Norfolk Criminal Justice Board as Chief Judge for the 2nd Term (2025–2027)
- Before becoming Chief Judge, Rigney held the role of a judge on the 4th Judicial District Court of Virginia (Norfolk) from 2019.
- He then spent over 30 years as a partner at Protogyrou & Rigney, a Norfolk law firm he joined in 1987
- The Chief Judge of the 4th Judicial Circuit Court of Virginia, which covers the City of Norfolk
Education
- University of Richmond School of Law — J.D. (1987)
- B.A., State University of New York at Oswego (1982)
Additional information
- Appointment: Elected by the Virginia General Assembly in 2022 to fill a vacancy caused by the retirement of Hon. Joseph Migliozzi
- Earlier in his career, he was admitted to the Virginia Bar in 1987 and later to the bars of the District of Columbia (1990), New York (1996), and multiple U.S. federal courts.
- Rigney is a member of the Norfolk and Portsmouth Bar Associations, the Virginia State Bar, the District of Columbia Bar, and professional organizations including the Virginia Association on Defense Attorneys and the Association of Trial Lawyers of America.
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 ↗