Programs

Concluded Programs and Studies 
Programs and studies listed below are no longer active, ongoing programs or studies of the Judiciary.

• Commission on Mental Health Law Reform
• Judicial Boundary Realignment Study
• Pandemic Flu Preparedness Commission
• Report of the Committee on Lawyer Well-Being of the Supreme Court of Virginia
• Virginia Judicial Workload Assessment Report 2013
• Virginia Judicial Workload Assessment Report 2017

Domestic Violence Programs and Services
Statewide resource listings and protective order information.

• Assistance with Protective Orders (I-CAN!)
  I-CAN! Virginia is a free online program that provides assistance with the preparation of court forms required to file for a protective order.

Specialty Docket Services
Provides administrative oversight of the specialty dockets in Virginia including technical assistance, budget management, monitoring and evaluation

• Behavioral Health Dockets (BHD)
• Drug Treatment Courts (DTC)
• Veterans Treatment Dockets (VTD)

Foreign Language Services
Coordinates interpretation for individuals with limited English proficiency to ensure universal access to Virginia’s judicial system. 

Guardians Ad Litem (GAL)
Administers, maintains and distributes lists of attorneys who are qualified to serve as guardians ad litem for children in Virginia’s juvenile and domestic relations district courts and circuit courts and for incapacitated persons in Virginia's circuit courts.

Hearing Officers
The Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court maintains rules for, as well as a list of, attorney hearing officers to preside over certain administrative hearings pursuant to Virginia Code § 2.2-4024.

Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee
The JEAC issues advisory opinions concerning the compliance of proposed, future conduct with the Canons of Judicial Conduct.

Judicial Performance Evaluation (JPE)
Provides a self-improvement mechanism for judges and a source of information for the re-election of judges.

Judicial Settlement Conference
A no-cost, confidential process in which parties to a civil, circuit court case meet with a neutral third party (a retired circuit court judge) to explore options for settling their dispute.

Mediation
An alternative process for dispute resolution in which a neutral mediator facilitates communication between the parties with the goal of the parties coming up with their own resolution of the dispute.

• Parent Education
  Provides mandated parent education training to parties in cases where a child’s custody, visitation or support is contested.

Virginia Access to Justice Commission
The Commission coordinates access to justice activities among various groups, mobilizing legal professionals to provide legal services to low income individuals, encouraging the development of auxiliary resources for underserved populations, and making the courts more accessible for all citizens.

Virginia Lawyers’ Wellness Initiative
The Virginia Lawyers’ Wellness Initiative coordinates the education of, and assistance to, judges, lawyers, and law students regarding professional health and wellness initiatives, with a specific focus on improving mental health and addressing substance abuse in the legal profession.