David T. Stitt

The Honorable David Tillman Stitt (April 9, 1943 - May 10, 2008) was a judge on the Fairfax Circuit Court from 1995 to 2008 and the Fairfax County Attorney from 1980 to 1991.

Stitt was born in St. Louis, Missouri. His family moved to Austin, Texas when Stitt was 2.

After graduating from Austin High School in 1960, Stitt attended Davidson College in North Carolina, graduating in 1964 with a degree in English. While at Davidson, Stitt joined the ROTC and also served as editor of the campus newspaper, the Davidsonian, during his senior year.

After college, Stitt joined the U.S. Army, attending the U.S. Army Intelligence School at Fort Holabird, Maryland. While at Fort Holabird, Stitt developed a lifelong enthusiasm for volleyball. Serving as a Ranger in Vietnam in 1967, Stitt was at one point flown to an important volleyball tournament in Bien Hoa.

Following the completion of his service, Stitt attended the University of Texas at Austin, graduating with his law degree in 1969.

Stitt moved to Washington, D.C. where he worked in the corporation counsel's office.

On April 2, 1973, Stitt became an assistant U.S. Attorney. Stitt was forced to resign from the U.S. Attorney's office on November 14, 1974, after police investigating a burglary found an ounce of marijuana and a pipe in his Washington, D.C. apartment.

In 1975, Stitt joined the Fairfax County Attorney's office, and following the departure of Frederic Lee Ruck in 1979, became the County Attorney in 1980.

Stitt served a term from 1986 to 1987 as president of the Fairfax Bar Association.

After 11 years as the county attorney, Stitt resigned the office on November 8, 1991 to become a partner in the Tysons Corner office of Venable, Baetjer, and Howard. Robert L. Howell took over as acting county attorney on Stitts' departure.

Stitt's dalliance with private practice was short-lived. In 1995, he returned to public service as a judge on the Circuit Court, taking office on July 1.

While on vacation in Topsail Beach, North Carolina, Stitt suffered a heart attack and died in a hospital in Wilmington.