Jerrauld Jones

Jones' father was a prominent African-American lawyer in Norfolk during the 1950s, the era of massive resistance to school integration in Virginia.{{cite news | last = Flynn | first = Barry | title = High Profile: Q&A: Jerrauld C. Jones | work = Hampton Roads Daily Press | date = 1995-02-06 | url = https://www.dailypress.com/1995/02/06/high-profile-qa-jerrauld-c-jones/ |access-date= 2012-09-22}} In 1961, young Jerrauld became one of the first African-American students at his elementary school. In 1967, he went on to integrate the private Virginia Episcopal School in Lynchburg.{{cite web|url=https://www.dom.com/about/education/strong/2002/jjones.jsp |title=Jerrauld C. Jones |year=2002 |publisher=Dominion, Inc. |accessdate=2012-09-22 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111113020125/http://dom.com/about/education/strong/2002/jjones.jsp |archivedate=2011-11-13 }}

Jones received a B.A. degree cum laude from Princeton University in 1976. In 1980 he graduated from the Washington and Lee University School of Law with a J.D. degree. That same year, he became the first African-American law clerk to the Supreme Court of Virginia. He subsequently returned to Norfolk and served as an Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney for two years before opening up a private law practice. He remained in private practice until 2002, when he became Director of Juvenile Justice.

In 1987, Jones was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates from the 89th District when the incumbent, Yvonne Miller, chose to run for the state senate instead. He was reelected seven times, and eventually became a member of the Rules Committee.{{cite web|url=http://dela.state.va.us/dela/MemBios.nsf/0/de2156b7f2f22289852565800071fecc |title=Virginia House of Delegates; Session 2002; Jerrauld C. Jones |year=2002 |publisher=Virginia House of Delegates |accessdate=2012-09-22 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141020160543/http://dela.state.va.us/dela/MemBios.nsf/0/de2156b7f2f22289852565800071fecc |archivedate=2014-10-20 }}

In 2001, Jones ran in the Democratic primary for Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. He finished third behind the eventual winner, Richmond Mayor Tim Kaine, and Delegate Alan Diamonstein of Newport News.{{cite web|url=http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/ElectionResults/2001/jun2001/June12/ |title=Commonwealth of Virginia; June 12, 2001-Primary Election |year=2001 |publisher=Virginia State Board of Elections |accessdate=2012-09-22 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121228232050/http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/ElectionResults/2001/jun2001/June12/ |archivedate=December 28, 2012 }} Following this defeat, he ran for reelection to the House, winning his eighth term in November.

In June 2002, Governor Mark Warner appointed Jones state Director of Juvenile Justice until 2005. In this capacity he oversaw all adjudicated youths in the juvenile detention system in Virginia.

In 2005, then-Governor Warner appointed Jones a judge of the Norfolk Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court. In December 2008, Governor Kaine appointed him to fill a vacancy on the Norfolk Circuit Court.{{cite web|url=http://www.aecf.org/MajorInitiatives/JuvenileDetentionAlternativesInitiative/Resources/Dec08newsletter/JDAINewsmakers2.aspx |title=Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative; JDAI Newsmakers |date=Dec 2008 |publisher=The Annie E. Casey Foundation |accessdate=2012-09-22 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110111111118/http://www.aecf.org/MajorInitiatives/JuvenileDetentionAlternativesInitiative/Resources/Dec08newsletter/JDAINewsmakers2.aspx |archivedate=2011-01-11 }} Jones was elected to a full eight-year term by the legislature during the 2009 General Assembly session and re-elected for a second 8-year term during the 2017 General Assembly session.{{Cite web|url=https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?171+ful+SR110ER&171+ful+SR110ER|title=Bill Tracking - 2017 session > Legislation|website=lis.virginia.gov|accessdate=Mar 4, 2021}}

Jones died May 31, 2025, at the age of 70.{{Cite web |url=https://richmond.com/news/state-regional/government-politics/article_edaae20c-904d-4f8b-b092-32cfe8fcd709.html |title=Jerrauld Jones dies, Norfolk judge, former state delegate |website=richmond.com |first=Andrew |last=Cain |url-access=subscription |date=May 31, 2025 |access-date=May 31, 2025}}

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• [http://www.vpap.org/candidates/profile/home/32 Virginia Public Access Project: Jerrauld C Jones]

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Category:1954 births

Category:2025 deaths

Category:African-American state legislators in Virginia

Category:Democratic Party members of the Virginia House of Delegates

Category:Princeton University alumni

Category:Washington and Lee University School of Law alumni

Category:Politicians from Norfolk, Virginia

Category:21st-century members of the Virginia General Assembly

Category:21st-century American judges

Category:Virginia circuit court judges

Category:Virginia Episcopal School alumni

Category:20th-century members of the Virginia General Assembly