On February 18, 2026, the Virginia General Assembly honored Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III with the 2026 Outstanding Virginian Award for his many and exceptional contributions at the state and national level. The prestigious award, given in partnership with the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia, recognizes “recipients whose distinguished contributions, outstanding achievements, and dedicated leadership serve as an inspiration to all civic-minded citizens.”
Read More: The Honorable J. Harvie Wilkinson III Receives 2026 Outstanding Virginian Award
Judge Wilkinson was presented with Senate Joint Resolution 85 and House Joint Resolution 113 “as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration for his integrity, legal acumen, commitment to excellence, and deep dedication to public service.”
Excerpts from the joint resolutions:
WHEREAS, J. Harvie Wilkinson III, a highly admired legal educator and an esteemed jurist who has served as a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit since 1984, received the prestigious Outstanding Virginian Award in 2026; and
WHEREAS, Harvie Wilkinson's 41-year tenure on the Fourth Circuit is the longest in the history of that court, and his active service as a federal court of appeals judge is one of longest in the history of the nation; and
WHEREAS, the rule of law is among those topics dearest to Harvie Wilkinson's heart; he has often expressed the hope that the judicial system would serve as a beacon of ordered liberty and as an anchor of independence in the most divisive of times.
Read more: Senate Joint Resolution No. 85 (2026 Session); House Joint Resolution No. 133 (2026 Session)
Judge Wilkinson was nominated by President Ronald Reagan to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit on January 30, 1984, and received his commission on August 13, 1984. He served as chief judge from 1996-2003.