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| Virginia Court Records- Listed below is contact information and/or links to websites containing resources to help in a search for Virginia court records. | |||
| Virginia Court Records Search - VA Court Systems Data by State & County | |||
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The Commonwealth of Virginia maintains a multifaceted Web site with a wealth of information for Internet-savvy citizens. It’s a 21st century service provided by one of the oldest court systems in the nation. Virginia Supreme Court The Supreme Court of Virginia is one of the oldest continuous judicial bodies in the United States. It is rooted deep in the British legal system dating to the early 17th century, part of the Charter of 1606 under which Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America, was established. In 1623, the Virginia House of Burgesses created a five-man appellate court which met quarterly to hear appeals from lower courts. Convening on the first day of March, June, September and December, it became known as the Quarter Court. Changes of course occurred over the next 300-plus years. In 1661, after dropping the June term, the Quarter Court became the General Court, with appellate jurisdiction in both civil and criminal matters. It was the court of last resort for colonists in Virginia except for the rare occasion when an appeal was allowed to be made before the king of England. Judges were appointed by the king on the basis of social standing, property and proximity of their estates to the capital in Williamsburg. While most were capable jurists, few had formal legal training. After the Revolutionary War, the courts were reorganized. The new Virginia General Assembly in 1779 created four superior courts, including the Supreme Court of Appeals, which was composed of judges from the other three courts of the day – the Admiralty, General and Chancery courts. The Supreme Court of Appeals, later a model for the United States Supreme Court, first convened in Williamsburg on Aug. 20, 1779. Shortly after, the court moved to Richmond, which eventually was the capital city. Judges on the court were appointed by the legislature, and until 1788 never rendered written opinions nor even gave reasons for their decisions. In 1788, the Supreme Court judges were separated from the other courts; five judges would be elected by joint vote of both houses of the General Assembly. The judges would be appointed to the bench for life, on good behavior. Thus, the judges were independent of other courts and beyond the control of the legislature. Reforms continued through the years. Terms of the justices were limited to 12 years via the Reform Convention of 1850-51, and provisions were made to elect justices by popular vote. After the Civil War, the state’s Constitution of 1870 altered the method of judicial selection again, returning the power to the General Assembly, which appointed justices to 12-year terms. The new constitution also required annual sessions to be held in Wytheville, Staunton and Winchester in addition to Richmond, making the court accessible to residents of those regions; evidence of that mandate remained until the mid-20th century, with sessions held in Staunton until September 1970. In 1928, the number of justices on the court was increased from five to seven, and the title of the presiding judge was changed from president to chief justice. The court’s power was heightened, as well. The newest state constitution, effective 1970, changed the name of the court to its present title, Supreme Court of Virginia. Seven justices are elected by majority vote of both houses of the General Assembly, and serve terms of 12 years. Presently the chief justice is Leroy Rountree Hassell Sr., whose term expires Jan. 31, 2014. Although the court possesses both original and appellate jurisdiction, its primary function is to review decisions made by lower courts. Virginia does not allow appeals to the Supreme Court as matter of right except in cases involving the State Corporation Commission, disbarment of an attorney, or review of a death sentence. The court’s original jurisdiction is limited to cases of habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition and writs of actual innocence pursuit to Virginia codes. The court also has original jurisdiction in matters filed by the Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission, relating to judicial censure, retirement and removal of judges. The court meets for five-day sessions beginning each September in its chambers at 100 North Ninth St. in Richmond. Lists of appeals granted a hearing, the argument docket and opinions issued are available online. Opinions also are available in synopsis form. Also online are histories of and vital information about the Supreme Court both in English-language HTML and Spanish-language PDF. Virginia Court of Appeals The Court of Appeals of Virginia was established Jan. 1, 1985. It serves as an intermediate appellate court, created to increase the appellate capacity of the state’s legal system and expedite the appeals process. The court is composed of 11 judges, with Walter S. Felton presently serving as chief. The court’s administrative headquarters are in the Supreme Court Building in Richmond, though the address for the portion occupied by the appellate court has a street address of 109 North Eighth. Online resources pertaining to the Court of Appeals include a court calendar, forms used by the court, dockets, and opinions, both published and unpublished. Virginia Circuit Courts In Virginia, the Circuit Court is the trial court of general jurisdiction, with the power to try a wide range of cases both civil and criminal. Within Virginia, only the Circuit Court can provide a jury to hear such cases. There are 31 circuits in the Virginia system, maintaining 120 courts in various cities and counties within the state. Judges are elected to eight-year terms by majority vote of both houses of the General Assembly. The governor can appoint an interim judge if the legislature is not in session. Anywhere from two to 15 judges will serve in each circuit, depending upon population and caseload. In civil cases, the circuit court has concurrent jurisdiction with the general district court over claims ranging from $4,500 to $15,000 in value. The court has exclusive original jurisdiction over almost all claims above that range. The court also has jurisdiction over all equity matters, including divorces, disputes concerning wills and estates, and controversies involving property. For criminal cases, the circuit courts have jurisdiction over the trials of all felony cases (carrying commitment to state penitentiary) and misdemeanor cases (penalties of not more than 12 months in jail) that are originally charged in circuit court. Circuit court also has jurisdiction over juveniles aged 14 and up who face felony charges and whose cases have been transferred by the judge of a juvenile and domestic relations court to be tried in circuit court. The circuit courts also have jurisdiction over all appeals from General District Court. Appeals are heard de novo, that is, the cases are retried from the beginning as though there had been no prior trial. Appeals of the decisions made by certain administrative agencies also can be heard in Circuit Court. The circuit court also has the authority to impanel regular and special grand juries, composed of citizens of the city or county where the circuit court is located. Regular grand juries of five to seven people can be convened for two purposes: to consider indictments prepared by the commonwealth’s attorney (to determine whether there is probable cause to believe the accused person committed the crime charged and should stand trial) and to investigate and report on conditions that involve or might promote criminal activity, either in the community or by any governmental authority, agency or official. The grand jury hears only the commonwealth’s side of the case and does not determine guilt or innocence of the accused. Special grand juries are composed of seven to 11 local citizens who are asked to investigate and report on conditions that involve or tend to promote criminal activity. Online resources include a case information system, a detailed description of the circuit courts, and links to many of the forms used in the court. Information about the circuit courts also is available in Spanish. General District Courts in Virginia Virginia’s General District Court system hears civil cases, criminal cases and traffic cases in each of the state’s 32 districts. These courts do not conduct jury trials, rather, all cases are heard by a judge. Jurisdiction in civil cases is limited to disputes involving $15,000 or less. Unlawful detainer (eviction) suits that include a request for rent can be heard if the amount of rent requested is more than $15,000. Criminal jurisdiction is limited to misdemeanors, or cases carrying a penalty of no more than one year in jail or a fine of up to $2,500, or both. General District Court is the venue for preliminary hearings in felony cases, during which it is determined whether the case should be heard by a grand jury. It is the grand jury that can indict the defendant for trial by the circuit court. Traffic tickets in district court can be paid online. Other online resources for district court include case information, links to necessary forms, links to contact information and locations of individual district courts, and an extensive description of the district courts and their duties in both English and Spanish. Virginia Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Cases involving individuals under age 18 and an array of family law matters are heard in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court. The court handles: delinquency cases; juveniles accused of traffic violations; children in need of supervision or state services; children who are abused or neglected; other family members who have been abused; adults accused of child abuse or other offenses against their own family (either juvenile or adult victims); paternity; child custody, visitation and support; abandonment of children; foster care; court-ordered rehabilitation services; and court consent for certain medical treatments. All cases are heard by a judge; there are no juries. Links to forms for this court, homepages for each local court and information about the courts both in English and Spanish are among the state’s online resources. Virginia also maintains a Drug Treatment Court, to monitor the intensive treatment and strict supervision of addicts involved n drug-related cases. |
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| Virginia Courts Online - Search State and County Web Sites for Public Records | |||
Albemarle County Circuit Court Circuit Court's Clerk's Office, Chesapeake Circuit Court for Wise County and the City of Norton United States Bankruptcy Court - Eastern District of Virginia United States District Court - Eastern District of Virginia Virginia Supreme Court - Find general contact information as well as court calendars and granted appeals for the state. Virginia Supreme Court - Search Supreme Court Opinions and download PDF versions of the opinions. Virginia Courts Case Information - Search the Circuit Court Case Information System by county. Virginia Circuit Courts - Search the Circuit Court Link Directory for all Virginia Circuit Courts. Virginia District Courts - Search the Virginia District Court Link Directory for District Courts in Virginia. Virginia's Judicial System - Pay Your Traffic Tickets Online. You may also pay other court fines online as well. City of Virginia Beach - Links to all Virginia Beach courts including the Circuit Court, District Court, Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court and the Court Clerk's Office. The Library of Virginia - Search targeted court records through the Records Management Department of the library. |
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| Virginia County Courthouse Clerks - Phone Numbers and Addresses | |||
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