The Juvenile Domestic Court of the 24th Judicial District, which encompasses Lynchburg as well as the counties of Appomattox, Amherst, Bedford, Campbell, and Nelson, has never had a Black judge. On June 30, history will be made when Eugene Butler, 50, raises his hand and breaks that barrier.
Stacey Smith hopes to be present when Butler is sworn in.
“I have three young children, and I’m constantly telling them that their dreams can become a reality if they put in the necessary work,” Smith said. “I don’t really know Mr. Butler, but I am aware of his story and it is quite inspirational. Experiencing something historic doesn’t happen every day.”
The son of a minister and former high school teacher, Butler’s parents, Pat and Willie, moved their family to Roanoke in the mid-‘80s. Butler attended Fishburn Elementary then James Madison Junior High before starting high school at Patrick Henry (PH) in the fall of 1988. At this point in his life, his goal was to become a professional cartoonist.
“I remember going to the Roanoke Times and having a fascinating conversation with their cartoonist at the time. He was very honest with me about the profession,” said the Class of ’91 member. “It was around that time when some of my relatives were taken advantage of by lawyers they trusted. That ordeal was a major factor in my wanting to practice law. I wanted to help people.”
Since the only way for Butler to get into law school meant going to college, he decided to further his education at Randolph Macon College, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in 1995. “My undergraduate experience was a great one even though I was often in the minority, racial-wise,” he noted, adding, “While there are certainly some negatives to being the only minority in certain settings, it does teach you to think outside of the box. I believe doing so is a key component to being successful.”
Butler started studying at the Washington & Lee School of Law in 1995, graduating three years later. By the time he walked across the stage to get his degree, Butler had already completed multiple internships. Months later, he was working for an insurance defense firm in Alexandria.
To date, Butler has more than two decades of law experience under his belt, including 13 years as an attorney in the Division of Child Support Enforcement.
Judge Onzlee Ware of Roanoke, a longtime family friend, was Eugene’s Boy Scout Leader. “When I decided I wanted to be a judge, he was one of the first people that I reached out to. Judge Ware was kind enough to invite me into his office and talked to me about his experiences. That really helped me,” Butler, a former president of the Lynchburg Bar Association, said.
He added, ”I also talked to Judge Dale Wiley of Danville and Judge Joel Cunningham. They all told advised me that I may not be successful pursuing a judgeship on the first try, even the second, but I can’t give up.”
Last month, Butler received an unexpected email requesting him to come to Richmond to appear before the House and Senate Courts of Justice, the General Assembly’s two separate committees. That decision led to him answering some questions which ultimately laid the foundation for him to become a judge for the 24th District.
Theatre actor and director Michael Wiley and Butler grew up together. “We’ve been great friends for over 30 years. We used to dream about our futures and talk for hours about how we are going to achieve our goals,” he said. “I hope that the next generation can use my life story as a catalyst to power their own goals and dreams.”
In Virginia, unlike other states, one gets appointed to a judge. Once sworn in, Butler’s term will last for six years before he is up for reappointment.
