Daniel M. Chichester was born in Stafford County. He was educated in the Stafford County Public Schools and thereafter at Augusta Military Academy where he graduated first in his class. He received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Virginia, and a law degree from the University of Virginia Law School.

Commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army, Mr. Chichester entered active duty. He served in Vietnam and Cambodia as an advisor to the 23rd Vietnamese Division. He attained the rank of Captain, and was awarded the Bronze Star, among other decorations.

When he returned to Stafford County, he was elected Commonwealth’s Attorney and has continued in public service since. He has guided his office through periods of enormous change, growing from one attorney to an organization of thirteen attorneys and fourteen support staff. He served as President of the Virginia Association of Commonwealth’s Attorneys and Chairman of the Commonwealth’s Attorneys’ Training and Services Council. As a long-time member of the Commonwealth’s Attorneys’ Legislative Committee, he helped draft and clarify many pieces of legislation. Mr. Chichester has lectured on criminal law for the Commonwealth’s Attorneys’ Training and Service Council, the Virginia State Police, and the Rappahannock Criminal Justice Academy. He is a past member of the Board of Governors of the Criminal Law Section of the Virginia State Bar. In 1994, Governor Allen appointed him to the Commission on Parole Abolition and Sentencing Reform. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the National District Attorneys Association.

In 1995, Mr. Chichester was awarded the Robert F. Horan, Jr. Outstanding Service Award by the Virginia Association of Commonwealth’s Attorneys. He was also the recipient of the Rappahannock Area Fraternal Order of Police Man of the Year award, and of similar awards from the Stafford Jaycees and from the White Oak Fire Department in recognition of his service to the community. Mr. Chichester is a long-standing member of the Virginia State Bar and the Fredericksburg Area Bar Association as well as the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars. He was a member of the Capitol Campaign Cabinet raising funds for the Cancer Treatment Center of Fredericksburg, and has been a member of Aquia Episcopal Church, where he has served on many committees, including the Vestry.

Mr. Chichester has three sons: Daniel, John and Philip. Mr. Chichester and his sons live in southern Stafford County.