It’s official.

David M. Hicks, Mayor Dwight C. Jones’ senior policy adviser, is going to be a judge in Richmond.

The General Assembly elected him Feb. 25 to the Richmond General District Court bench, effective July 1, for a six-year term.

The Free Press disclosed in January that he was the choice to replace Judge Phillip Hairston.

Judge Hairston will be moving up to the Richmond Circuit Court on July 1. He also was elected last Wednesday by the General Assembly for an eight-year term. He will replace Judge Melvin R. Hughes, who is turning 70, the mandatory retirement age for state court judges.

Mr. Hicks, 54, said he was approached last summer about his interest in serving on the court and agreed after his wife supported the decision.

One result is that he will not be involved in the 2016 race to succeed Mayor Jones, though it is not clear that he would have run even if the judicial opportunity had not come about.

Two members of the Richmond delegation, Sen. A. Donald McEachin, D-Henrico, and Delegate Manoli Loupassi, R-Henrico, were among key legislators who supported Mr. Hicks for the judgeship.

Mr. Hicks is a former Richmond commonwealth’s attorney. — JEREMY M. LAZARUS