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 "excerpt": "Elizabeth Wilson Hanes, born 1978, is a United States district judge for the Eastern District of Virginia since 2022, previously a magistrate judge for the same district.",
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 "markdown": "# Elizabeth W. Hanes\n\nElizabeth Wilson Hanes (born 1978) is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge of the [United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-district-court-for-the-eastern-district-of-virginia) since 2022.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/12352111)</sup> She was nominated by President Joseph R. Biden in 2022 and confirmed that same year by a vote of 59 to 37.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/12352111)</sup> Before her district court appointment, she served as a [United States magistrate judge](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-magistrate-judge) for the same district.<sup>[2](https://www.vaed.uscourts.gov/sites/vaed/files/Press%20Release_Hanes_8102020.pdf)</sup>\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n| --- | --- |\n| Court | U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/12352111)</sup> |\n| Appointed by | Joseph R. Biden<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/12352111)</sup> |\n| Confirmed | August 2, 2022, Senate vote 59 to 37<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/12352111)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[3](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1170804)</sup> |\n| Born | 1978 in Roanoke, VA<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/12352111)</sup> |\n| Education | B.A., University of Richmond, 2000; J.D., University of Richmond T.C. Williams School of Law, 2007<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/12352111)</sup> |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nHanes was born in 1978 in [Roanoke, Virginia](https://www.edgepedia.org/roanoke-virginia).<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/12352111)</sup> She received a [Bachelor of Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-arts) from the [University of Richmond](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-richmond) in 2000 and a Juris Doctor from the university's T.C. Williams School of Law, now the University of Richmond School of Law, in 2007.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/12352111)</sup>\n\n## Legal career\n\nHanes began her legal career as a law clerk to Judge Joseph R. Goodwin of the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia from 2007 to 2008, and then clerked for Judge Robert B. King of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit from 2008 to 2009.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/12352111)</sup> From 2009 to 2016, she worked as an assistant federal public defender in the Eastern District of Virginia.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/12352111)</sup> During that period, she also taught as an adjunct professor at [Virginia Commonwealth University](https://www.edgepedia.org/virginia-commonwealth-university) from 2014 to 2016 and at the T.C. Williams School of Law in 2014 and 2017.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/12352111)</sup>\n\nFrom 2016 to 2020, Hanes was in private practice in [Richmond, Virginia](https://www.edgepedia.org/richmond-virginia).<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/12352111)</sup> The district court's announcement of her magistrate appointment described her as a civil litigator with the law firm Consumer Litigation Associates, P.C.<sup>[2](https://www.vaed.uscourts.gov/sites/vaed/files/Press%20Release_Hanes_8102020.pdf)</sup>\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nHanes was sworn in as a United States magistrate judge for the Eastern District of Virginia on June 12, 2020, having been unanimously selected for an eight-year term by the federal district judges in Richmond.<sup>[2](https://www.vaed.uscourts.gov/sites/vaed/files/Press%20Release_Hanes_8102020.pdf)</sup>\n\nOn May 19, 2022, President Joseph R. Biden nominated Hanes to a judgeship on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/12352111)</sup> The Senate confirmed her nomination on August 2, 2022, by a vote of 59 to 37.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/12352111)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[3](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1170804)</sup> She received her commission on August 5, 2022.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/12352111)</sup>\n\n## References\n\n1. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: Elizabeth Wilson Hanes](https://www.fjc.gov/node/12352111)\n2. [Press Release: Elizabeth W. Hanes Sworn In as United States Magistrate Judge](https://www.vaed.uscourts.gov/sites/vaed/files/Press%20Release_Hanes_8102020.pdf)\n3. [Senate Roll Call Vote, August 2, 2022](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1170804)\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 H*\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",
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 "credit": "\"Elizabeth W. Hanes\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/elizabeth-w-hanes. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.",
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 "speakable": "Elizabeth Wilson Hanes, born 1978, is a United States district judge for the Eastern District of Virginia since 2022, previously a magistrate judge for the same district."
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