Judge Debra L. Steed was elected to the bench in the Third Family Court Circuit (Pleasants and Wood Counties) in May 2024. After her predecessor resigned, Governor Jim Justice appointed her to the same post. She took office on October 22, 2024.

A native of Wood County, she graduated from Parkersburg South High School in 1979 and raised two children before pursuing her own college degree. In 2002, she earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Ohio University, graduating summa cum laude. While working full-time for the law firm of Squire, Sanders, and Dempsey, Judge Steed took night classes at Capital University in Columbus and received her law degree in 2006. 

In 2010, she opened her own law firm and began practicing law in the areas of real estate, criminal law, divorce, custody, wills, probate, and abuse/neglect. At the time of her election, she focused her practice on divorce, custody, and real estate issues.

She served as a Parkersburg Municipal Court Judge (2015-2024).

She lives in Parkersburg and has two adult children and three grandchildren. She enjoys reading, walking, and doing crosswords and other word puzzles.