---
title: "Theresa W. Carter | KnowJudges"
canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/theresa-w-carter-va-culpeper-general-district-court"
page_type: "judge_profile"
updated: "2026-07-26"
---

# Theresa W. Carter

Culpeper General District Court · Judge

## Profile

- Court: Culpeper General 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

- Notable milestone: First woman and African-American to be a full-time 16th District General District Court Judge
- Prior roles: Sole practitioner in private legal practice Guardian ad Litem Substitute judge for the 16th Judicial District Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney for Orange County, VA (10 years)
- Presiding Judge in the Culpeper General District Court and is also listed among the judges for the Greene General and Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Combined Courts

### Education

- B.A., University of Virginia J.D., William & Mary Law School, 1993

### Additional information

- Joined the bench: 2018
- Judge of the 16th Judicial District Court of Virginia, serving as Presiding Judge in multiple courthouses, including Culpeper and Greene, and is the first woman and African-American to hold a full-time position on the 16th District General District Court bench.
- Appointed to the 16th Judicial District Court of Virginia, which covers the City of Charlottesville and the counties of Albemarle, Culpeper, Fluvanna, Goochland, Greene, Louisa, Madison, and Orange.
- Judge Carter’s appointment marked a historic milestone in Virginia’s judicial history, reflecting diversity and representation on the state’s bench.
- Her career spans public service, private practice, and judicial leadership, and she continues to preside over a wide range of cases in her jurisdiction.