2026 SESSION
ENROLLED
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 90
Commending the Honorable Penney S. Azcarate.
Agreed to by the Senate, February 12, 2026
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 16, 2026
WHEREAS, the Honorable Penney S. Azcarate, a distinguished jurist in Northern Virginia, retired as chief judge of the Fairfax County Circuit Court after more than 18 years of service on the bench; and
WHEREAS, Penney Azcarate is a graduate of Old Dominion University and veteran of the United States Marine Corps, who served the nation as a communications officer during Operation Desert Storm; and
WHEREAS, after completing her active duty military service, Penney Azcarate earned a law degree from George Mason University, then worked as a prosecutor, criminal defense attorney, and civil litigator in Fairfax County; and
WHEREAS, in 2008, Penney Azcarate was appointed as a judge of the Fairfax County General District Court of the 19th Judicial District of Virginia, where she presided with great fairness and wisdom until she was elevated to the Fairfax County Circuit Court of the 19th Judicial Circuit of Virginia in 2015; and
WHEREAS, Penney Azcarate made history as the first woman elected as chief judge of the Fairfax County Circuit Court and went on to provide many years of exceptional leadership to her fellow judges; during her tenure, she presided over several high-profile cases, oversaw initiatives to improve access to the justice system, enhanced interpreter services, developed racial equity initiatives, and launched community outreach programs; and