{ "id": "epacfwajwb", "slug": "elizabeth-k-dillon", "title": "Elizabeth K. Dillon", "updated": "2026-10-15", "topic_path": [ { "id": "society", "label": "Society and history", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society" }, { "id": "society.law", "label": "Law and justice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law" }, { "id": "society.law.practice", "label": "Courts and legal practice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people", "label": "Legal biographies", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us", "label": "United States judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal", "label": "US federal judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3", "label": "Article III judges (district and appellate)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges", "label": "United States district court judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-d-to-e", "label": "Surnames D to E", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-d-to-e" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges", "label": "United States · 2021 and later: United States district court judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges", "path": [ { "id": "geo.us", "label": "United States", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021", "label": "United States · 2021 and later", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society", "label": "Society and history", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law", "label": "Law and justice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice", "label": "Courts and legal practice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people", "label": "Legal biographies", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us", "label": "United States judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal", "label": "US federal judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges", "label": "United States district court judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Elizabeth K. Dillon, also known as Elizabeth Kay Dillon, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge for the Western District of Virginia since 2014.", "snippet": "Elizabeth K. Dillon, also known as Elizabeth Kay Dillon, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge for the Western District of Virginia since 2014.", "node": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-d-to-e", "markdown": "# Elizabeth K. Dillon\n\nElizabeth Kay Dillon (born 1960) is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia since 2014.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394741) She was appointed by President Barack Obama and is the first woman to serve as a judge of that court.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394741) • [2](https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/senate-confirms-elizabeth-dillon-to-western-district-federal-bench) She became the court's chief judge in 2024.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394741)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n| --- | --- |\n| Court | U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394741) |\n| Appointed by | Barack Obama[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394741) |\n| Confirmed | December 16, 2014, by voice vote[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394741) |\n| Born | 1960, Omaha, Nebraska[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394741) |\n| Education | A.B., Lenoir-Rhyne College, 1983; J.D., Wake Forest University School of Law, 1986[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394741) |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nDillon was born in 1960 in [Omaha, Nebraska](https://www.edgepedia.org/omaha-nebraska).[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394741) She received an A.B. from Lenoir-Rhyne College in 1983 and a J.D. from Wake Forest University School of Law in 1986.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394741) While in law school she served as Notes and Comments Editor of the Wake Forest Law Review from 1985 to 1986.[3](https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Dillon%20Senate%20Questionnaire%20Final.pdf)\n\n## Legal career\n\nDillon entered private practice in [Roanoke, Virginia](https://www.edgepedia.org/roanoke-virginia), from 1986 to 2000.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394741) She then served as an assistant city attorney for the City of Roanoke from 2000 to 2003.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394741) In 2003, the Roanoke City School Board adopted a resolution recognizing and commending her professional services, and the mayor of Roanoke proclaimed December 8, 2003, as Elizabeth Kay Dillon Day.[3](https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Dillon%20Senate%20Questionnaire%20Final.pdf) From 2004 to 2014 she practiced law in Salem, Virginia, at the firm Guynn & Dillon, P.C., previously known as Guynn, Memmer & Dillon, P.C.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394741) • [3](https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Dillon%20Senate%20Questionnaire%20Final.pdf)\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nDillon was nominated to the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia by President Barack Obama on September 18, 2014.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394741) Senators Mark Warner and [Tim Kaine](https://www.edgepedia.org/tim-kaine) recommended her to the president in June of that year, and the Senate Judiciary Committee endorsed her nomination on December 11, 2014.[2](https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/senate-confirms-elizabeth-dillon-to-western-district-federal-bench) The Senate confirmed her by voice vote on December 16, 2014, and she received her commission on December 19, 2014.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394741) Upon confirmation, she became the first woman to serve as a judge of the Western District of Virginia in the court's nearly 200 years of existence.[2](https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/senate-confirms-elizabeth-dillon-to-western-district-federal-bench) She began serving as chief judge of the court in 2024.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394741)\n\n## Notable cases\n\nIn a suit filed by a former Montgomery County sheriff's captain, Dillon was among the judges considered in connection with the litigation, which was reported in the Virginia Lawyers Weekly coverage of her nomination.[3](https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Dillon%20Senate%20Questionnaire%20Final.pdf)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394741)\n2. [Senate Confirms Elizabeth Dillon To Western District Federal Bench](https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/senate-confirms-elizabeth-dillon-to-western-district-federal-bench)\n3. [Senate Judiciary Committee Questionnaire](https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Dillon%20Senate%20Questionnaire%20Final.pdf)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Law and justice › Courts and legal practice › Legal biographies › United States judges › US federal judges › Article III judges (district and appellate) › United States district court judges › Surnames D to E*\n\n*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026 · Last review: Sep 29, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/elizabeth-k-dillon", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/elizabeth-k-dillon.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Elizabeth K. Dillon\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/elizabeth-k-dillon. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Elizabeth K. Dillon](https://www.edgepedia.org/elizabeth-k-dillon)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/elizabeth-k-dillon](https://www.edgepedia.org/elizabeth-k-dillon). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Elizabeth K. Dillon\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/elizabeth-k-dillon. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Elizabeth K. Dillon, also known as Elizabeth Kay Dillon, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge for the Western District of Virginia since 2014." }