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Elizabeth K. Dillon
Dillon in 2014
Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia
Incumbent
Assumed office July 4, 2024
Preceded by	Michael F. Urbanski
Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia
Incumbent
Assumed office December 19, 2014
Appointed by	Barack Obama
Preceded by	Samuel Grayson Wilson
Personal details
Born	Elizabeth Kay Hillman (1960-12-14) December 14, 1960 (age 64) Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
Residence	Roanoke, Virginia
Education	Lenoir–Rhyne University (AB) Wake Forest University (JD)

Elizabeth Kay Dillon (née Hillman; born December 14, 1960) is the chief United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia.

Biography

Dillon received an Artium Baccalaureus degree, magna cum laude, in 1983 from Lenoir–Rhyne University. She received a Juris Doctor in 1986 from Wake Forest University School of Law. She began her legal career at Woods, Rogers & Hazlegrove, PLC, from 1986 to 1998. From 1999 to 2000, she was a shareholder at Guynn & Dillon, PC, a predecessor to her later law firm. From 2000 to 2003, she worked as an assistant city attorney for the City of Roanoke. From 2003 to 2014, she had been a shareholder at Guynn, Memmer & Dillon, PC, where she handled both trial and appellate matters in federal and state courts.

Federal judicial service

On September 18, 2014, President Barack Obama nominated Dillon to serve as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia, to the seat vacated by Judge Samuel Grayson Wilson, who retired on July 31, 2014. She received a hearing before the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary on November 13, 2014. On December 11, 2014, her nomination was reported out of committee by voice vote. On December 13, 2014 Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid filed a motion to invoke cloture on the nomination. On December 16, 2014, Reid withdrew his cloture motion on Dillon's nomination, and the Senate proceeded to vote to confirm Dillon by voice vote. She received her federal judicial commission on December 19, 2014. She became the chief judge on July 4, 2024, after Michael F. Urbanski assumed senior status.

Mountain Valley Pipeline

Dillon has been criticized for several decisions surrounding the Mountain Valley Pipeline in Southwest Virginia. On May 4, 2018, Dillon found 61 year old Theresa 'Red' Terry in contempt of court for protesting the pipeline while on her own land, threatening a $1000/day fine and use of U.S. Marshals to forcibly remove her. The land has been in Terry's family for 7 generations On May 16, 2018, Dillon found two farmers in contempt of court for encouraging a tree sit on their property.

References

1. "President Obama Nominates Seven to Serve on the United States District Courts". whitehouse.gov. September 18, 2014 – via National Archives.
2. ^ Elizabeth K. Dillon at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
3. "Presidential Nominations and Withdrawal Sent to the Senate". whitehouse.gov. September 18, 2014 – via National Archives.
4. "United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary". www.judiciary.senate.gov.
5. "Results of Executive Business Meeting – December 11, 2014" (PDF).
6. "Judge finds 'Red' Terry and her daughter in contempt for tree-sit protests of pipeline | Local News | roanoke.com". May 4, 2018.
7. "Franklin County family hosting tree-sitters receives fines". May 17, 2018.

External links

• Elizabeth K. Dillon at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
• Elizabeth K. Dillon at Ballotpedia

• 1960 births
• Living people
• 20th-century American lawyers
• 20th-century American women lawyers
• 21st-century American judges
• 21st-century American women judges
• 21st-century American lawyers
• 21st-century American women lawyers
• Judges of the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia
• Lenoir–Rhyne University alumni
• Lawyers from Omaha, Nebraska
• Lawyers from Roanoke, Virginia
• United States district court judges appointed by Barack Obama
• Wake Forest University School of Law alumni