Westel Willoughby (April 3, 1830 – December 21, 1897) was an American lawyer and soldier, who briefly served on the Virginia Supreme Court during Congressional Reconstruction, and unsuccessfully ran for statewide office several times.

During the American Civil War, Willoughby helped recruit soldiers for the 137th New York Volunteer Regiment and received an officer's commission on November 1, 1862.

In 1864, he won the election and on July 5, 1864, assumed office as Alexandria's Commonwealth Attorney (a/k/a prosecutor, including for the portions which later became Arlington County).

In May 1866, local judge H. W. Thomas refused to allow an African American woman to testify as a witness against a white man, citing old state law.

Willoughby appealed to the federal court and secured an indictment against Judge Thomas (who had reported years earlier that barred the Fairfax courthouse doors to intimidate Unionist voters) for violating the witness' civil rights.

[3] Later that year, he and Charles Whittlesey formed a partnership specializing in seeking reimbursement from the recently created Southern Claims Commission for Union supporters.

[6] Westel Willoughby died at his home in Washington, D.C., on December 21, 1897, and was returned across the Potomac River and buried at Arlington National Cemetery two days later.