Circuit Court Alert:
Letter from the Fairfax Circuit Court Dated August 14, 2020
Penney S. Azcarate
(Chief Judge)
Judicial Circuit: 19th
College: Old Dominion University
Law School: George Mason University School of Law
Date Sworn In: June 15, 2015
Randy I. Bellows
Judicial Circuit: 19th
College: University of Florida
Law School: Harvard Law School
Date Sworn In: October 15, 2002
Michael F. Devine
Judicial Circuit Court: 19th
College: State University of New York at Stony Brook
Law School: University of Virginia School of Law
Date Sworn In: April 1, 2010
John M. Tran
Judicial Circuit Court: 19th
College: The George Washington University
Law School: The George Washington University Law School
Date Sworn In: June 27, 2013
The son of a South Vietnamese diplomat and an immigrant who found refuge in the United States, Judge Tran has spent his entire adult life in the Washington Metropolitan Area and proudly considers himself a Virginian. He is a product of the Arlington County public schools and before entering private practice, served as a state and later federal prosecutor in the City of Alexandria. He was President of the Asian American Bar Association of Virginia, a member of the Virginia State Bar Council and on the faculty of the Harry S. Carrico Professionalism Course. Prior to joining the Circuit Court, Judge Tran served as a substitute judge in the General District Courts and Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Courts throughout Northern Virginia for five years.
Stephen C. Shannon
Judicial Circuit: 19th
College: Fairfield University; Georgetown University
Law School: University of Virginia School of Law
Date Sworn In: June 19, 2015
David A. Oblon
Judicial Circuit Court: 19th
College: George Washington University
Law School: George Mason University School of Law (now named Antonin Scalia Law School)
Date Sworn In: December 21, 2017
Prior to joining the Circuit Court, Judge Oblon served as a Substitute Judge in the General District Courts for almost a decade and served as a Commissioner in Chancery. He co-founded and, for its twenty-two-year existence, managed the law firm Albo & Oblon, LLP. At its largest, the firm had six offices and twenty lawyers. It produced a United States Congressman, two state legislators, and four judges. Judge Oblon’s personal practice included civil business litigation and criminal law. A prolific continuing legal education lecturer, he presented over 30 programs to lawyers and judges. He presently serves on the board of the Fairfax Law Foundation, was elected to three terms on the Virginia State Bar Council, and was Chairman of both the Arlington County Bar Foundation and the Arlington Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program (“VASAP”). He served two terms on the Arlington County Bar Association board. In the wider community, he engaged in many civic and religious leadership activities, such as Cub Scouts and the PTA.
Dontaé L. Bugg
Judicial Circuit Court: 19th
College: University of Maryland
Law School: T. C. Williams School of Law at the University of Richmond
Date Sworn In: March 15, 2019
Tania M. L. Saylor
Judicial Circuit Court: 19th
College: University of Virginia
Law School: The George Washington University Law School
Date Sworn In: June 28, 2021
Christie A. Leary
Judicial Circuit Court: 19th
College: College of William and Mary
Law School: George Mason University – School of Law
Date Sworn In: March 1, 2022
Manuel A. Capsalis
Judicial Circuit: 19th
College: Duke University
Graduate School: George Mason University
Law School: George Mason University School of Law
Date Sworn In: July 20, 2022
Jonathan D. Frieden
Judicial Circuit: 19th
College: United States Naval Academy; University of Virginia (B.S., Systems Engineering)
Law School: University of Richmond School of Law
Date Sworn In: February 1, 2024
Patrick Blanch
Judicial Circuit: 19th
College: Millersville University of Pennsylvania
Law School: The George Washington University School of Law
Date Sworn In: April 1, 2024
Susan J. Stoney
Judicial Circuit Court: 19th
College: University of Virginia
Law School: William & Mary Law School
Date Sworn In: January 2, 2025
Timothy J. McEvoy
Judicial Circuit Court: 19th
College: William and Mary, Phi Beta Kappa
Law School: University of Virginia
Date Sworn In: March 16, 2025
Until he joined the Circuit Court, Judge McEvoy was the co-manager of Cameron McEvoy PLLC, a business litigation firm he co-founded, for over 15 years. Prior to that Judge McEvoy was a shareholder and member of the Board of Directors at Odin, Feldman & Pittleman, P.C., and an associate at Bean, Kinney & Korman, P.C. and Venable LLP. He also served as a prosecutor for the Commonwealth of Virginia and as a Special Assistant United States Attorney. In 2016, Judge McEvoy was elected as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He is a Past President, past Board Member, and Founder of Justice Fellow of the Fairfax Law Foundation, twice-received the President’s Award for Leadership and Service from the Fairfax Bar Association, and is a member of the George Mason Inns of Court. He appeared in the United States Supreme Court and is a member of the Virginia and Maryland Bar Associations. Judge McEvoy grew up in Fairfax County and both played and coached youth sports.
Michelle M. Kaminsky
Judicial Circuit Court: 19th
College: University of Arizona
Law School: Columbus School of Law, Catholic University of America
Date Sworn In: April 1, 2025