Judge Rossie Alston
Eastern Virginia U.S. District Court
Rossie David Alston, Jr. was born in May 1957 in Washington D.C. He served for a period in the United States Army, then earned an undergraduate degree from Averett University and received his Juris Doctor from North Carolina Central University School of Law.
He for the National Labor Relations Board as a staff attorney for two years, then entered private practice. He was elected by the Virginia General Assembly as a judge of the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court where he served four years before being elected to the Prince William County Circuit Court. He held that position for eight years, then he was elevated to the Virginia Court of Appeals.
President Donald Trump nominated Alston to serve as a judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. That nomination expired and was returned to the President who promptly renominated him to the federal judgeship. He was confirmed by the Senate and received his commission in June 2019.
He is married to Carol Miller. They have two daughters.
In the News…
U.S. District Court Judge Rossie Alston issued a temporary restraining order barring the removal of a memorial to Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery (ANC). Work to remove the memorial, known as a memorial to reconciliation, had already begun, but the memorial was still in place when the order was issued.
The lawsuit alleged that the U.S. Army, which runs the cemetery, violated regulations in seeking the hasty removal of the large memorial. The lawsuit claimed, “The removal will desecrate, damage, and likely destroy the Memorial longstanding at ANC as a grave marker and impede the Memorial’s eligibility for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.”
A day later, Judge Alston reversed his decision saying that the removal of the monument could continue.
He wrote in his reversal, “The information and pictures provided in the Yates Declaration demonstrate that Defendants are taking protective measures and that Plaintiffs’ complaints regarding the removal efforts being likely to damage the gravesites are misinformed or misleading. The Court also personally visited the Memorial and it was clear to the Court that Defendants were making every effort to protect and respect the surrounding gravesites.”
He said it was in the “public interest” that the monument be removed.
Contact this Leader…
Did you pray for Judge Alston today? You can let him know at:
The Honorable Rossie D. Alston, Jr.
Eastern Virginia U.S. District Court
Albert V. Bryan U.S. Courthouse
401 Courthouse Square
Alexandria, VA 22314
