Judge Erin L. Evans-Bedois is the Chief Judge for the Chesapeake General District Court. She first took the bench on April 1, 2019, and was soon elected to serve as Chief Judge on July 1, 2020.
Judge Bedois, a Chesapeake native, graduated from Indian River High School in 1997. She continued her education at Old Dominion University then attended George Mason University School of Law. Surprisingly, Judge Bedois didn’t always want to be a lawyer. It wasn’t until she took a course on Constitutional Law in
college for fun, did she realize her true desire to practice law.
While in law school, Judge Bedois married her high school sweetheart. Judge Bedois returned home in 2006 and clerked for both Judge Bruce H. Kushner and Judge Randall D. Smith of the Chesapeake Circuit Court. As she was starting her legal career, Judge Bedois also started a family, having a son.
Judge Bedois continued her legal career at Kaufman & Canoles, P.C. then MacDonald, Plumlee, & Overton, P.C. After 5 years with MacDonald, Plumlee, & Overton, P.C., Judge Bedois joined with another local attorney and formed Shannon & Bedois, P.C. In her 12 years of practice, Judge Bedois practiced primarily in the area of domestic relations.
Judge Bedois has served her community on the Chesapeake Board of Zoning Appeals and as Past President with the Chesapeake Bar Association. In addition to being a wife, mother, lawyer, and now judge, Judge Bedois is a certified personal trainer.
Advice from Judge Bedois:
· Always be prepared and on time for court.
· Be sure to take time for yourself and mental health - you have to make yourself a priority. By taking care of yourself and your health, it will make you a better attorney in the long run.