Juvenile Detention Home

The Murphey Building

On March 6, 2003, a ceremony was held to name the new, expanded Chesterfield Juvenile Detention Home after the late Douglas Woodfin Murphey, a judge of the 12th Judicial Circuit Court of Virginia who had been a strong supporter of the creation of the detention home.

Judge Murphey, better known as Pat, was born in Petersburg, Va. On Feb. 23, 1916. His family later moved to Colonial Heights, and he attended Colonial Heights public schools and Petersburg High School. He attended Virginia Agriculture and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute (now Virginia Tech) and graduated from the University of Richmond in 1938 with a degree in economics. Murphey married Evelyn Goyne, and the couple had four children.

Murphey served as a Chesterfield County police officer from 1942 until 1947 and as a detective from 1947 until 1949 and entered private practice. In 1957, Murphey was appointed as a part-time judge of the County Court of Chesterfield. He was named to the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court bench in 1973, and one year later, was named Circuit Court Judge of Chesterfield and Colonial Heights Circuit Courts.

Murphey was a strong advocate of the creation of a juvenile-detention home in Chesterfield County. In 1971, Murphey was instrumental in the planning and acquisition of funds to build his vision. Through his leadership, the county constructed the home, and it opened in 1973. All of the programmatic aspects and planning for the facility were led and inspired by Murphey. He served with dignity and distinction until his retirement in 1985. Following his retirement, he served other circuit courts throughout the commonwealth and as a designated judge for the Virginia Court of Appeals.

Murphey passed away May 8,1995, but left a strong family legacy of support in the county. Today, Judge Thomas Murphey of the Chesterfield County General District Court continues his father’s legacy in the courtroom.

In January 2003, the Chesterfield Juvenile Detention Home expanded from a 33- to a 90-bed facility. On Feb.12, 2003, the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution to name the new detention home the Murphey Building in honor of Murphey’s dedication to the facility during his career.