Photographic portrait, 1998

Born 1949 in Washington, D.C.

Elected by the General Assembly on March 17, 1998 to an 8-year term beginning August 1, 1998 to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Joseph E. Baker. Service terminated by election as justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia.

Education:
University of Virginia, B.A., 1970
University of Virginia, J.D., 1976

Other judicial service:
Commissioner in chancery, Henrico County, Virginia, 1988-1995.
Substitute judge, General District Court and Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, Henrico County, Virginia, 1994-1995.
Judge, Thirteenth Judicial Circuit of Virginia, 1995-1998.
Justice, Supreme Court of Virginia, 2000-present (Chief Justice, January 1, 2015-December 31, 2021).

Professional career:
Probation officer, Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court, Fairfax County, Virginia, 1971-1973.
Assistant dean and assistant professor of law, University of Virginia School of Law, 1976-1978.
Private practice in Richmond, Virginia, 1978-1995.
A.L. Philpott Distinguished Adjunct Professor of Law, University of Richmond School of Law, 1998-2000.
Distinguished Professor of Judicial Studies, Washington and Lee University School of Law, 2007-present.
President, American Inns of Court, 2010-2014.
Honorary Bencher, Middle Temple, Inns of Court, London.

Supreme Court of Virginia portrait

Sources:
Elected, Journals of the Senate of Virginia, 1998 Regular Session, 2187; first elected justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia, Journals of the Senate of Virginia, 2000 Regular Session, 1747; sworn in on March 16, 2000, 259 Va., v; Jeff E. Schapiro, “Lemons Voted to Virginia High Court,” Richmond Times-Dispatch, March 9, 2000, A-6; birth, education, and career, biographical file, Virginia State Law Library; born in Washington, D.C., listing for Durrette, Irvin, Lemons, & Bradshaw, P.C., Martindale-Hubble Law Directory, (Summit, NJ: Martindale-Hubble, Inc.), 1993.