---
title: "Susan J. Stoney | KnowJudges"
canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/susan-j-stoney-va-fairfax-circuit-court"
page_type: "judge_profile"
updated: "2026-07-26"
---

# Susan J. Stoney

Fairfax Circuit Court · Judge

## Profile

- Court: Fairfax 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

- First judicial role: Substitute judge for the 19th Judicial District in 2015
- Early career: Law clerk to Hon. James W. Benton, Jr., Virginia Court of Appeals (1988–1990)
- Judge of the Fairfax County Circuit Court in Virginia, elected by the Virginia General Assembly and recognized for her legal service and community impact
- “Rip” Sullivan and Supreme Court Justice Thomas P. Mann

### Education

- B.A., University of Virginia (1983) J.D., William & Mary Law School (1988)

### Additional information

- She was officially commissioned in April 2025, with the investiture ceremony led by Virginia House of Delegates member Richard C.
- Virginia Lawyers Weekly Influential Women of Law Award (2020)
- Notable initiative: Co-developed the Fairfax County Mental Health Docket (2019) with Hon. Tina Snee to address mental health case handling.
- General District Court: Elected in 2016; handled a wide range of cases including divorce, custody, public housing, employment, and consumer matters.
- Fairfax Bar Association James Keith Public Service Award (2016)
- Legal practice: Private practice (1990–2016) and legal aid work in Richmond and Northern Virginia, including: Staff attorney & Executive Director, Potomac Legal Aid Society (2008–2010) Deputy Director, Legal Services of Northern Virginia (2010–2016)
- Federal court admissions: U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (1990), U.S. District Court (1990), U.S. Bankruptcy Court (1995).
- Fairfax County Circuit Court in Virginia’s 19th Judicial District, which covers the City of Fairfax and Fairfax County.
- Prior to this, she had held the role of a judge in the Fairfax County General District Court for over eight years.
- Judge Stoney’s career reflects a blend of judicial service, legal aid leadership, and community advocacy, with a strong record of fairness, professionalism, and public service.
- Judge Stoney is married and has three children; she resides in Herndon, Virginia.