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Born circa 1730 in Warwick County, Virginia.
Died November 13, 1789 in Richmond, Virginia.

Elected by the General Assembly to the Court of Admiralty on December 17, 1776 and became a member, ex-officio, of the Court of Appeals when it met for the first time on August 30, 1779. Service terminated by the reorganization of the courts in 1788, which took effect March 5, 1789.

Education:
Unknown

Other judicial service:
Judge, Admiralty Court, 1776-1788 (Presiding Judge, 1785-1788)

Professional career:
Private practice of law in Warwick County, Virginia
Clerk, Warwick County, Virginia
Clerk, House of Burgesses Committee of Trade, 1766-
Warwick County Committee of Safety, 1774-1775 (chair, 1775)
Virginia state delegate, 1776
Delegate, Virginia Convention, 1776

Sources:
Qualified as a judge on the Court of Appeals, 4 Call (8 Va.), 633; birth, death, education, career, and service on the court, Brent Tarter “Richard Cary (1730-1789),” Dictionary of Virginia Biography ( 1998).

From 1776 to November 21, 1782, judges were appointed, not elected, by joint resolution of both houses of the legislature unless a second candidate for the position was proposed; see Journal of the House of Delegates of the Commonwealth of Virginia 1782-1783 Session, November 21, 1782, 29.