Mary B. Malveaux facts for kids

Mary Janipher Bennett Malveaux, born in 1967, is an important judge. She serves on the Virginia Court of Appeals. This court helps decide legal cases in Virginia.

Early Life and Education

Mary Malveaux was born in Lynwood, California. She grew up in Richmond, Virginia. She went to Collegiate School there.

She studied at the University of Virginia. In 1990, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. Later, she went to the University of Richmond School of Law. She earned her law degree, called a Juris Doctor, in 1993.

Her Legal Career

After finishing law school, Mary Malveaux became a lawyer in Virginia in 1993. She worked as a prosecutor in Henrico County. A prosecutor is a lawyer who works for the government. They try to prove that someone broke the law. People knew her as a fair but strong prosecutor.

In 1998, she started working in her own law practice. She handled many different types of cases. These included both civil and criminal cases. Civil cases are about disagreements between people or groups. Criminal cases are about breaking laws.

In 2011, Mary Malveaux made history. She became the first full-time female district court judge in Henrico County. She served in Virginia's 14th Judicial District.

Serving on the Virginia Court of Appeals

On March 11, 2016, the Virginia General Assembly chose Mary Malveaux to be a judge. She joined the Virginia Court of Appeals on April 16, 2016. Her term as a judge lasts for eight years.

She filled a spot left by Judge Stephen R. McCullough. He moved to the Virginia Supreme Court. Mary Malveaux is only the second African-American person to be appointed to the Virginia Court of Appeals. Her current term will end on April 15, 2024.