Cleo Powell

Cleo E. Powell
Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia
Incumbent
Assumed office August 1, 2011
Preceded by	Leroy R. Hassell, Sr.
Judge of the Virginia Court of Appeals
In office August 15, 2008 – August 1, 2011
Appointed by	Tim Kaine
Preceded by	LeRoy F. Millette, Jr.
Succeeded by	Glen A. Huff
Personal details
Born	Cleo Elaine Powell January 12, 1957 Brunswick, Virginia, U.S.
Spouse(s)	Alvin Larnell Dilworth
Alma mater	University of Virginia (B.A., J.D.)

Cleo Elaine Powell (born January 12, 1957) is a justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia. She was sworn in on October 21, 2011 for a term ending in July 31, 2023. Justice Powell is the first African American female to serve on Virginia's highest Court and the fifth woman to serve on the Court.^[1]

Born in Brunswick County, Virginia, she received an undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia in 1979 and received her juris doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1982. Powell served at every level of Virginia's judicial system as a judge, working as a General District Court Judge in Chesterfield, Virginia and Colonial Heights, Virginia from 1993 until 2000, a Circuit Court Judge in the same jurisdictions from 2000 until 2008, and on the Court of Appeals of Virginia from 2008 until 2011.^[2] In 2013 Powell was honored as one of the Library of Virginia's "Virginia Women in History".^[3]

References

1. "Cleo Powell, Va.'s first black female justice to be sworn in" WJLA. Retrieved 2015-10-18.
2. "Powell sworn in as justice on Virginia Supreme Court" Richmond Times Dispatch
3. "Virginia Women in History: Cleo Elaine Powell". Library of Virginia. Retrieved 4 March 2015.

External links

• Powell's biography at the Library of Virginia