The Hon. Cela J. Burge is a judge for the 2nd Judicial District Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court (2A) of Virginia. She was elected to the bench by the Virginia General Assembly in 2020, filling the vacancy created by the retirement of the Hon. Croxton Gordon.
The 2nd Judicial District Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court (2A) includes Accomack and Northampton Counties.
During her judicial tenure, Burge has served as chief judge of the 2A Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court.
Prior to her election, she was the county attorney in Accomack County since 2016. Before that, Burge was a partner at Turner & Turner (2005 to 2015). During that time, she served as an appointed Guardian ad Litem in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court on behalf of minors and incompetent persons. Burge also acted as an attorney for several towns on the Eastern Shore.
She received a B.S. in community development and regional planning from Concord College in 1978. Burge then spent several years as town manager for the Town of Cape Charles (1998 to 2005) before completing an LL.B. at Regent University School of Law in 2005.
Burge served on the Cape Charles Town Council.
Burge and her husband, John Burdiss, have four grown children and twelve grandchildren. A native of West Virginia, she moved to Cape Charles in 1998.