Circuit Court

About

There is a circuit court in each city and county in Virginia. The circuit court is the trial court with the broadest powers in Virginia. The circuit court handles most civil cases with claims of more than $25,000. It shares authority with the general district court to hear matters involving claims between $4,500 and $25,000, and in civil cases for personal injury and wrongful death up to $50,000. The circuit court has the authority to hear serious criminal cases called felonies.

The circuit court also handles family matters, including divorce. In addition, the circuit court hears cases appealed from the general district court and from the juvenile and domestic relations district court.

• Circuit Courts Informational Pamphlet

Contact Information

• All Circuit Courts
• Individual Circuit Court Homepages
• Map of Virginia’s Judicial Circuits and Districts

Case Status and Information

• Online Case Information System-Statewide Search
  New! Online access to a statewide search of criminal and traffic case information in general district courts and select circuit courts.
  Note: Payments cannot be made using this system.
• Circuit Court Case Information
Online access to civil and criminal cases in select circuit courts. Cases may be searched by locality using name, case number, or hearing date.
• Fees
  • Circuit Court Civil Filing Fee Calculation
  • Deed Calculation
• Circuit Court Records Information
  Online access to court records such as deeds, marriage licenses, judgments, and wills for selected courts.

Forms

Pay Traffic Tickets and Other Offenses

Manuals

• Court-Appointed Counsel Procedures & Guidelines Manual
• Court-Appointed Counsel Eligibility
• Circuit Court Clerks' Duties List
  Note: To assist those using "non-Adobe friendly" Web browsers, links have been added to each chapter title in order to navigate within this manual.

Programs

• Domestic Violence Programs and Services
• Recovery Courts
• Foreign Language Services
• Guardians Ad Litem
• Judicial Settlement Conference
• Mediation
  • Circuit Court Mediation
• Parent Education

Resources and Reference Materials

• Circuit Courts Informational Pamphlet
• Commissioners of Accounts
  
• Guardians and Conservators of Incapacitated Adults
• Appointment of Guardians and Conservators for Incapacitated Adults - Tutorial
• Appointment of Guardians and Conservators for Incapacitated Adults - FAQs
• Options in Virginia to Help Another Person Make Decisions: Choices Less Restrictive Than Guardianship and Conservatorship
• You've Been Appointed:
  • Information for Virginia Guardians and Conservators (English)
  • Information for Virginia Guardians and Conservators (Spanish)
• Jury Service
  • The Answer Book for Jury Service
  • Handbook For Virginia Grand Jurors
  • Juror Orientation Video
• Probate and Estate Administration
  • A Guide to the Administration of Decedent's Estates in Virginia
  • Probate in Virginia
• Records Management and Retention, Library of Virginia
• Rules of the Supreme Court of Virginia
• Unclaimed Property Division, Virginia Department of the Treasury
• Virginia Courthouse Facility Guidelines
• Virginia Model Jury Instructions (Unannotated)
  • Civil
  • Criminal