Virginia Court Information and Jurisdiction

The courts located in the State of Virginia are noted for the swift and efficient way in which they go about performing their assigned tasks. The courts of Virginia serve a dual purpose. Apart from settlement of legal disputes, a Virginia court also functions as a storehouse of public records related to the citizens of the state.

The VA courts include:

•    The Supreme Court
•    The Appeals Court
•    The Circuit Court (there are 120 courts in the 31 circuits)
•    The General Courts in the District (there are courts in thirty two districts)
•    The Domestic Relations and Juvenile Courts in the District

The Supreme Court ranks at the top of the legal system. In fact, this is among the oldest courts in the U.S. that is in operation even today. Today, there are 7 justices and a Chief Justice, and they serve a term for 12 years. Those who have been a resident of the state and members of the Virginia Bar for a minimum of 5 years can be considered as eligible candidates for these positions.

The Appeals Court on the other hand is a fairly new court in the state, having been established only since 1985. This court hears the appeals from lower courts like the Circuit Court. The court has jurisdiction to hear appeals that involve worker's compensation and issues related to claims, decisions made at the Circuit Court, appeals from administrative agencies, issues related to divorce, marriage, child support, custody and other domestic cases.

Contacting the Virginia Courts

Do you need to find some specific information about the Virginia court system? Perhaps you need to know about the Virginia court regulations. Or, maybe you need to find out more about the jurisdiction of a particular VA Court or access a court record? Whatever the case, you can learn more and find these details at the state legal website which is http://www.courts.state.va.us.

It is important for contesting parties to be aware of the current status of their lawsuit. You can view such updated case information online as well. The Virginia court requires all types of communication to be made through prescribed forms. These are available on the official website.

If you wish to get in touch with the authorities at the Supreme Court, you will need to contact the Office of the Executive Secretary. This is located at 100 North Ninth Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219. You may also contact the office of the clerk here. You can reach the personnel there by dialing (804)786-2251.

If you are looking for legal help and/or services, you are required to pay certain fees to the courts of Virginia. The structures of these service charges are determined by the Supreme Court.

Virginia Court – Some Legal Services Provided

In Virginia, there are legal services available for special programs within a Virginia court. Broadly speaking, these programs can be of the following types:

•    Legal reforms regarding psychological problems
•    Foreign language programs
•    Family abuse protection orders
•    Mediation
•    Guardian ad litem
•    Parent education programs

According to court rules, the Circuit Courts in VA can also arrange for the creation of Judicial Settlement Conferences. At these conferences, the opinions of neutral third-parties are requested to resolve the cases which cannot be settled through normal procedures. The Judicial Performance Evaluation is also carried out periodically.