News Detail (Heads & Faculty)
The Honorable Bill Lewis ’69
At 71 years old, Bill Lewis ’69 has never had a day where he felt like staying in bed and not going to the courthouse. As the presiding judge for the 15th judicial district of Virginia, Lewis’ 12-14 hour days are filled with 30-40 cases in five different locations.
“I’m not slowing down anytime soon,” Lewis said. “I don’t see myself fully retiring for a good while.”
For the first 39 years of his career, Lewis was a third generation lawyer at his family’s law firm. He eventually became a judge focused on juvenile and domestic relations. “Anything dealing with a minor automatically comes to me,” Lewis explained. “Whether it’s a custody case, child support, mental health issues, or school truancy, all of those kinds of matters come before me.”
As a presiding judge he manages the courts, assigns cases to other judges and specialized courts, oversees the court calendar, and also decides on cases. Serving five jurisdictions, Lewis sees nearly 100 families per week. His goal is to guide them in the decision-making process when there’s a variety of possibilities and outcomes. Determined to be poised, judicious, and inspiring, he hopes to positively influence every person who lands in his courtroom.
“What I try to impress upon people is that I'm not there to punish them, I’m there to help them make it through a really difficult stretch of their life,” Lewis said.
As the former chair of the Honor Committee at EHS, Lewis set the standard for integrity on The Holy Hill during his senior year and continues that leadership to this day. Transitioning to his career as a judge only six years ago in 2016, he treats each case as if it’s the most important. He prides himself in giving the same attention to his entire case load regardless of its content. He even attends the high school graduations of the teens who came through his courtroom.
“They need to know that I wasn’t just oddly talking about it and that my expectations of their successes are just as great as anyone else’s,” Lewis told us.
Lewis’ time at The High School had a major influence on his law career. Episcopal was integrated when he was a senior and introduced him to a different outlook. The dialogue and conversations surrounding integration gave him an opportunity to encounter a wide range of people and perspectives that swayed his passion for public service.
“The range of people who were at Episcopal made me realize that there were lots of people who needed help and if I had the ability to provide that help, I should do that,” Lewis stated. “Living together is just a microcosm of what life is like.”
Lewis hopes that current EHS students discover what they fundamentally love to do and the reason behind their passions. They must always consider and encourage the success of others, maintain their honesty, and recognize that reputation is their most important asset. Married to his high school sweetheart, an alumna of down the road rival St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes, Lewis is nearing the mandatory retirement age of 75. “Even with mandatory retirement coming, I would still like to stay involved and share what knowledge I have gained through the years,” Lewis said.
“I’m not slowing down anytime soon,” Lewis said. “I don’t see myself fully retiring for a good while.”
For the first 39 years of his career, Lewis was a third generation lawyer at his family’s law firm. He eventually became a judge focused on juvenile and domestic relations. “Anything dealing with a minor automatically comes to me,” Lewis explained. “Whether it’s a custody case, child support, mental health issues, or school truancy, all of those kinds of matters come before me.”
As a presiding judge he manages the courts, assigns cases to other judges and specialized courts, oversees the court calendar, and also decides on cases. Serving five jurisdictions, Lewis sees nearly 100 families per week. His goal is to guide them in the decision-making process when there’s a variety of possibilities and outcomes. Determined to be poised, judicious, and inspiring, he hopes to positively influence every person who lands in his courtroom.
“What I try to impress upon people is that I'm not there to punish them, I’m there to help them make it through a really difficult stretch of their life,” Lewis said.
As the former chair of the Honor Committee at EHS, Lewis set the standard for integrity on The Holy Hill during his senior year and continues that leadership to this day. Transitioning to his career as a judge only six years ago in 2016, he treats each case as if it’s the most important. He prides himself in giving the same attention to his entire case load regardless of its content. He even attends the high school graduations of the teens who came through his courtroom.
“They need to know that I wasn’t just oddly talking about it and that my expectations of their successes are just as great as anyone else’s,” Lewis told us.
Lewis’ time at The High School had a major influence on his law career. Episcopal was integrated when he was a senior and introduced him to a different outlook. The dialogue and conversations surrounding integration gave him an opportunity to encounter a wide range of people and perspectives that swayed his passion for public service.
“The range of people who were at Episcopal made me realize that there were lots of people who needed help and if I had the ability to provide that help, I should do that,” Lewis stated. “Living together is just a microcosm of what life is like.”
Lewis hopes that current EHS students discover what they fundamentally love to do and the reason behind their passions. They must always consider and encourage the success of others, maintain their honesty, and recognize that reputation is their most important asset. Married to his high school sweetheart, an alumna of down the road rival St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes, Lewis is nearing the mandatory retirement age of 75. “Even with mandatory retirement coming, I would still like to stay involved and share what knowledge I have gained through the years,” Lewis said.
