The role was originated by former Cosby Show actor Joseph C. Phillips, who appeared as Justus from June 2, 1994 to July 1, 1998.

Justus was subsequently de-aged on two occasions, as evidenced by later portrayals of the character by Monti Sharp (1998–99) and M'fundo Morrison (2003–06).

Justus comes to Port Charles from Philadelphia for his late father Bradley Ward's memorial service.

Edward Quartermaine offers Justus the position as Council for ELQ and gives him shares of the company, which enrages his cousins A.J.

Detective Taggert dislikes Justus due to his connection for mobster Sonny Corinthos, as well as his involvement with Dara Jensen.

Taggert then confronts Monica Quartermaine and blackmails her into getting information on Justus and Jason in exchange for saving Alan.

Monica refuses to turn on Jason, but gives Taggert damaging information connecting Justus to the death of Damian Smith.

When Justus assumes the District Attorney position and becomes Dara's boss, What was left of their relationship fizzles.

He had just taken a vow of silence at a monastery when Jason arrives and asks Justus to return to Port Charles to defend Sonny Corinthos, who had just tried to kill Lorenzo Alcazar.

Justus breaks his vows of silence, and at first tells Jason he refuses to return to Port Charles, but eventually agrees and takes on Sonny's case.

In 2020, Candace Young and Charlie Mason from Soaps She Knows put Justus on their list of Daytime's Most Important African-American Characters, commenting that "The oft-recast grandson of Edward Quartermaine — first played by Joseph C. Phillips in 1994 — was just never going to fit in with the relatives that he discovered late in life.