Highest Court
Supreme Court
The Supreme Court consists of 7
judges. It has jurisdiction over (1) Mandatory jurisdiction in capital
criminal, criminal, administrative agency, and disciplinary cases. (2)
Discretionary jurisdiction in civil, noncapital criminal, administrative
agency, juvenile, disciplinary, original proceeding, and interlocutory
decision cases.
Intermediate Courts
Court of Appeals
The Court of Appeals consists of
11 judges. It has jurisdiction over (1) Mandatory jurisdiction in some
civil, some administrative agency, and some original proceeding cases.
(2) Discretionary jurisdiction in noncapital criminal cases.
General Courts
Circuit Court
The Circuit Court consists of 150
judges. It has jurisdiction over (1) Tort, contract, real property rights
($3,000-no maximum), mental health, administrative agency appeals, miscellaneous
civil, domestic relations, civil appeals from trial courts, and estate
jurisdiction. (2) Felony, misdemeanor, and criminal appeals. (4) Ordinance
violation.
No jury trials are overseen by this
court.
Limited Courts
District Court
The District Court consists of 124
judges. It has jurisdiction over (1) Tort, contract, real property rights
($0-15,000), support/custody, interstate support, domestic violence, miscellaneous
domestic relations, mental health, and small claims in Fairfax County.
(2) Felony, misdemeanor, exclusive DWI/DUI jurisdiction, ordinance violation,
exclusive moving traffic, parking, and miscellaneous traffic jurisdiction.
(3) Exclusive juvenile jurisdiction. (4) Preliminary hearings.
No jury trials are overseen by this
court.
Additional Information
Right of appeal.
A person that is convicted in a
district court of an offense that is not a felony has 10 days to
appeal to the circuit court, taking into consideration that the conviction
was not upon a guilty plea. There shall also be an appeal of
right from any order or judgment of a district court forfeiting any recognizance
or revoking any suspension of sentence. (Virginia Code § 16.1-132)
Reopening case after conviction.
A person convicted in a general
district court or a juvenile and domestic relations district court has
60 days to submit an application to reopen the case, considering that the
case was not felonious. The judge who original heard the case shall preside
over the reopen case, if the original judge is not available, an appropriate
judge of the court shall preside. If the case is reopened after the
case documents have been filed with the circuit court, the clerk of the
circuit court shall return the case documents to the district court in
which the case was originally tried. (Virginia Code16.1-133.1)
Judicial performance evaluation
program.
The Supreme Court shall maintain
a judicial performance evaluation program that will act as a self-improvement
tool for judges and as a source of information for the reelection process.
The Supreme Court is responsible for sending a evaluation of the final
year of the term of each justice and judge whose term expires during the
next session of the General Assembly to the Chairmen of the House and Senate
Committees for courts of Justice, by the first day of September. (Virginia
Code§ 17.1-100)
Residence requirements of judges.
During the judge's term of office,
the judge of a circuit court shall reside within his/her circuit.
If the circuit's boundary changes by annexation or other reason, the judge
will not be disqualified or ineligible for reelection because of this change.
(Virginia Code§ 17.1-103)
Display of flags in courtrooms
A flag of the United States and
a flag of the Commonwealth of Virginia shall be displayed in each courtroom
of a court of record. The governing bodies of each county and city
is responsible for providing a flag and may accept gifts or flags to obtain
the display. (Virginia Code§ 17.1-118)
Trust fund order book.
A trust fund order book is to be
kept by the circuit court clerk which shall record all reports, orders,
and decrees concerning moneys received or to be received by general receivers
pursuant to § 8.01-582 and by clerks pursuant to § 8.01-600.
Recording of orders and decrees pursuant to this section shall be in addition
to, and not in lieu of, any recording otherwise required by statute.(Virginia
Code§ 17.1-125)
Records, etc., open to
inspection; copies; exception.
The records and papers of every
circuit court shall be open to any person. The clerk shall
furnish copies, expect as otherwise noted. A copy from a bound volume
shall have the name and number of the volume and the page or folio of when
the copy began. A person is prohibited to use the office if there presence
interferes with the business of the office. (Virginia Code § 17.1-208)
