Courts in Virginia
| More information on Virginia's state courts: |
|---|
| Selection methods Elections Salaries Federal courts |
In Virginia, there are two federal district courts, a state supreme court, a state court of appeals, and trial courts of general and limited jurisdiction. These courts serve different purposes, which are outlined in the sections below.
Click a link for information about that court type.
The image below depicts the flow of cases through Virginia's state court system. Cases typically originate in the trial courts and can be appealed to courts higher up in the system.
Judicial selection process
- See also: Judicial selection in Virginia and Virginia judicial elections
Selection of state court judges in Virginia occurs almost exclusively through legislative selection.[1] Having used this method even before it was granted statehood, Virginia is one of only two states in the country, the other being South Carolina, where judges are selected this way.[2]
To read more about judicial elections in Virginia, click here.
Federal courts
The federal district courts in Virginia are the:
Appeals from this district goes to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit.
Active judges
Eastern District
| Judge | Appointed By | Assumed Office | Bachelors | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 20, 1993 - |
Rutgers University, 1966 |
Cornell Law School, 1976 |
||
| June 23, 2008 - |
University of Virginia, 1984 |
Washington & Lee University School of Law, 1988 |
||
| May 12, 2011 - |
Kutztown State College, 1982 |
North Carolina Central University School of Law, 1985 |
||
| June 10, 2014 - |
Wellesley College, 1986 |
Yale Law School, 1991 |
||
| June 12, 2019 - |
Averett University, 1979 |
North Carolina Central University School of Law, 1982 |
||
| October 17, 2019 - |
St. Vincent College, 1983 |
Villanova University, 1986 |
||
| September 29, 2020 - |
George Mason University, 1989 |
West Virginia University College of Law, 1994 |
||
| November 1, 2021 - |
University of Virginia, 1995 |
University of Virginia School of Law, 1998 |
||
| November 2, 2021 - |
Wesleyan University, 1991 |
University of Virginia School of Law, 1995 |
||
| August 5, 2022 - |
University of Richmond, 2000 |
University of Richmond School of Law, 2007 |
||
| March 3, 2023 - |
University of Virginia, 2008 |
University of Virginia School of Law, 2011 |
The list below displays the number of active judges by the party of the appointing president. It does not reflect how a judge may rule on specific cases or their own political preferences.
- Democrat appointed: 7
- Republican appointed: 4
Western District
| Judge | Appointed By | Assumed Office | Bachelors | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 19, 2014 - |
Lenoir-Rhyne College, 1983 |
Wake Forest University |
||
| September 15, 2020 - |
Furman University, 2000 |
William and Mary Law School, 2004 |
||
| March 9, 2023 - |
University of Virginia, 1984 |
University of Virginia, 1987 |
||
| July 8, 2024 - |
University of Virginia, 2003 |
University of Virginia Law, 2006 |
The list below displays the number of active judges by the party of the appointing president. It does not reflect how a judge may rule on specific cases or their own political preferences.
- Democrat appointed: 3
- Republican appointed: 1
Judicial selection
Judges who sit on the federal district courts are nominated by the president of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate. These judges serve life terms. To read more about the judges on these courts, click here.
Bankruptcy courts
There are two federal bankruptcy courts in Virginia. These courts have subject-matter jurisdiction over bankruptcy cases. The federal bankruptcy courts in Virginia are:
State supreme court
- See also: Virginia Supreme Court
Founded in 1776, the Virginia Supreme Court is the state's court of last resort and has seven judgeships. The current chief of the court is Bernard Goodwyn. In 2018, the court decided 1,697 cases.
As of August 2022, one judge on the court was appointed by a Democratic governor and six were appointed by the General Assembly. Bernard Goodwyn was appointed to a pro tempore term by Tim Kaine before the legislature confirmed him to a full term.
The following judges sit on the court:
| Office | Name | Party | Date assumed office |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supreme Court of Virginia | Teresa M. Chafin | Nonpartisan | September 1, 2019 |
| Supreme Court of Virginia | S. Bernard Goodwyn | Nonpartisan | October 10, 2007 |
| Supreme Court of Virginia | D. Arthur Kelsey | Nonpartisan | March 6, 2015 |
| Supreme Court of Virginia | Thomas P. Mann | Nonpartisan | August 1, 2022 |
| Supreme Court of Virginia | Stephen R. McCullough | Nonpartisan | March 3, 2016 |
| Supreme Court of Virginia | Cleo Powell | Nonpartisan | August 1, 2011 |
| Supreme Court of Virginia | Wesley G. Russell Jr. | Nonpartisan | July 1, 2022 |
State court of appeals
- See also: Virginia Court of Appeals
The Court of Appeals of Virginia is the intermediate appellate court in Virginia. It was established in 1985. It was created in order to increase the appellate capacity of the court system and expedite the appellate process. It is made up of 17 judges who serve eight-year terms.[3][4] The court was originally made up of 11 judges, but the passage of SB 1261 in March 2021 increased the number of judges to 17. On August 10, 2021, the Virginia General Assembly elected eight new members to the court–six to fill the newly established judicial seats and two members to fill vacant seats.[5] Seven of the eight judges took office on September 1, 2021, while one took office on November 1, 2021.[6]
The following judges sit on the court:
| Judge | Tenure | Appointed By |
|---|---|---|
|
November 1, 2021 - Present |
Virginia General Assembly |
|
|
September 1, 2019 - Present |
Virginia General Assembly |
|
|
February 1, 2015 - Present |
Virginia General Assembly |
|
|
April 16, 2006 - Present |
Virginia General Assembly |
|
|
September 1, 2021 - Present |
Virginia General Assembly |
|
|
September 1, 2021 - Present |
Virginia General Assembly |
|
|
September 1, 2021 - Present |
Virginia General Assembly |
|
|
September 1, 2021 - Present |
Virginia General Assembly |
|
|
September 1, 2021 - Present |
Virginia General Assembly |
|
|
September 1, 2021 - Present |
Virginia General Assembly |
|
|
September 1, 2021 - Present |
Virginia General Assembly |
|
|
November 1, 2013 - Present |
Bob McDonnell |
|
|
July 1, 2022 - Present |
Virginia General Assembly |
|
|
March 16, 2024 - Present |
Virginia General Assembly |
|
|
April 16, 2016 - Present |
Virginia General Assembly |
|
|
February 1, 2015 - Present |
Virginia General Assembly |
|
|
January 1, 2025 - Present |
Virginia General Assembly |
Trial courts
Circuit courts
- See also: Virginia Circuit Courts
The Circuit Courts are the only trial courts with general jurisdiction in Virginia. There is a circuit court in every city and county in Virginia. Circuit court judges hear criminal and civil cases and hear appeals from the district court and juvenile and domestic relations district court. They are also responsible for cases where the jurisdiction is not designated in the Code of Virginia.
The courts have exclusive original jurisdiction over civil cases with claims over $25,000. The circuit courts share jurisdiction with the General District Courts over civil claims between $4,500 and $25,000.[7][8]
General district courts
- See also: Virginia District Courts
The Virginia General District Courts are trial courts in the Commonwealth of Virginia. There is a district court in every city and county in Virginia. The courts have jurisdiction over civil cases, criminal misdemeanors, and traffic infractions. The court can also hold preliminary hearings in felony cases to decide whether there is enough evidence to call for a grand jury. District courts do not hold jury trials.
General district courts are the only ones who can initiate civil cases with claims below $4,500. In civil cases with claims between $4,500 and $25,000, jurisdiction is shared with the circuit courts.[7]
Juvenile and Domestic Relations district courts
The Virginia Juvenile and Domestic District Courts are trial courts in the Commonwealth of Virginia. There is a district court in every city and county in Virginia. The courts handle cases that involve children under 18 years old who are accused of criminal behavior or involved in custody cases, abuse and neglect case, or support orders. District courts do not hold jury trials.[7]
Magistrate system
There are eight magisterial regions in Virginia and one magistrate office in each of the state's 32 judicial districts. The magistrates review criminal complaints by law enforcement officials and citizens, issue emergency protective orders, set bail, issue warrants for searches or arrests, and issue subpoenas.[7]
In other states
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Virginia," archived June 8, 2011
- ↑ University of Richmond School of Law, "Reconsidering Virginia Judicial Selection," November 2008
- ↑ Virginia's Judicial System, "Court of Appeals of Virginia"
- ↑ Virginia's Judicial System, "Virginia Courts in Brief: term limits" see pg. 8
- ↑ Associated Press, "Virginia lawmakers elect 8 new judges to appeals court," August 10, 2021
- ↑ Virginia's Legislative Information System, "House Joint Resolution No. 7004," August 10, 2021
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Virginia Courts, "Virginia Courts in Brief," accessed March 11, 2021
- ↑ Virginia's Court System, "Circuit Court," accessed March 11, 2021
Federal courts:
Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Virginia, Western District of Virginia • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Virginia, Western District of Virginia
State courts:
Virginia Supreme Court • Virginia Court of Appeals • Virginia Circuit Courts • Virginia District Courts • Virginia Magistrates
State resources:
Courts in Virginia • Virginia judicial elections • Judicial selection in Virginia
| |||||||