Fairfax County has first female chief circuit judge

Fairfax Circuit Court judges have elected Penney S. Azcarate as the first female chief judge of the court. Her term begins July 1, according to a LinkedIn post from Judge David Bernhard.

On July 1, Fairfax attorney Tania M.L. Saylor will join the court, becoming that court’s first female judge of color.

“It should be clear that our Court is committed to promoting excellence, diversity and to the concept of justice for all. Election of our new Chief Judge is just the latest manifestation of that commitment,” Bernhard said in his post.

Current Fairfax Chief Judge Bruce D. White is retiring after 13 years on the bench.

Azcarate was elected to the general district bench in 2008 and was named to the circuit court in 2015. She spearheaded an initiative to create the first veterans treatment docket in the state, designed to treat Veterans suffering from mental health and substance abuse issues. Veterans dockets are now in place in all three Fairfax County courts.