Virginia State Courts

Virginia’s judicial system has two federal district courts, as well as a number of different trial courts, which either have general or limited jurisdiction over locations or subject-matter. These also feed into the court of appeals for Virginia and finally, the court of last resort is the Supreme court.

The federal district courts in Virginia are used for federal lawsuits. If there are any appeals, they will go to the 4th Circuit. The two federal courts are:

• Eastern District of Virginia
• Western District of Virginia

The same two districts have specific, subject-matter courts which are designed to deal purely with bankruptcy, too:

• Eastern District of Virginia Bankruptcy Court
  
• Western District of Virginia Bankruptcy Court

Virginia’s trial courts include Circuit Courts, which deal with certain dollar value civil claims and family matters as well as felonies. Circuit Courts in Virginia share their powers with the District Courts when it comes to claims that are between $4,500 and $25,000 in monetary value. These District courts can also deal with trials involving misdemeanors, less high-value civil claims and even traffic claims. These courts also process issues such as probate as there is not a specific probate court.

There are also courts in Virginia with limited jurisdiction. In eight magisterial court regions in Virginia, there are courts that can set bail, issue some warrants for arrests or for searches and more, but their powers are less than the trial courts. 

https://www.virginia.gov/

Court Name:	Virginia Supreme Court
Address:	P.O. Box 1315 100 North Ninth Street, 5th Floor Richmond, VA 23219-1315
Phone:	(804) 786-2251
Website URL:	http://courts.state.va.us/courts/scv/home.html

Intermediate and Supreme Courts

Virginia has a court of appeals, which acts as an intermediate between the Supreme Court and the trials courts. This court, the Court of Appeals of Virginia, has been established since the 80s and has 11 judges in situ. It can deal with cases referred from lower down the pyramid and hear appeals.

The Virginia Supreme Court has been in place since the 1700s, and it acts as the state's court of last resort with seven judges and thousands of yearly cases processed such as appeals or special hearings that go straight to the Supreme Court of Virginia. It also oversees the rest of the judicial system.

How to Find Virginia Court Records Online

You can make use of our tool to find Virginia’s court records online and not have to make specific requests for the information to be made available. In line with the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, all government and state records are available unless otherwise protected by law. This means that a resident of Virginia can search for details including arrest warrants, pleas and sentencing, bankruptcy records and more. Search by case number or surname in order to find the records you need, and make copies if required. 

Virginia Counties