The Hon. Edward DeJ. Berry (deceased) was a judge for the 16th Judicial District Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court of Virginia. He was appointed to the bench in 1993. Berry retired in 2017.
The 16th Judicial District includes the City of Charlottesville and the Counties of Albemarle, Culpeper, Fluvanna, Goochland, Greene, Louisa, Madison, and Orange.
During his judicial tenure, he was involved with the Family Treatment Court since its inception in 2002 and the local CASA, including helping to expand CASA’s services throughout the other counties in the 16th Judicial District. For his efforts, Berry was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Piedmont CASA in 2016. He is also the recipient of the Appreciation Award from the Family and Children’s Trust Fund of Virginia and was honored by the Virginia Governor’s Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect for his efforts in helping to establish the Charlottesville/Albemarle Best Practice Court.
Prior to his appointment, Berry was in private practice alongside Jean Ann Clore for twenty years, having established the partnership in 1973. He also sat as a substitute judge for the 16th Judicial Circuit (1990 to 1993).
Berry received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Richmond. He then completed a J.D. at the University of Richmond School of Law in 1973.
A ninth-generation resident of Madison County, Berry was active with the Madison County Historic Society and the Madison County Fair.
His mother, Nancy DeJarnette Berry, served as the postmaster in Madison. Berry and his wife, Sarah, have two children and several grandchildren.
He passed away on March 1, 2023.