About the Circuit Court - Seventeenth Judicial Circuit : About : Arlington, Virginia

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Circuit Court – 17th Judicial Circuit

About the Circuit Court - Seventeenth Judicial Circuit

The Circuit Court is the only trial court of general jurisdiction in Virginia, having the broadest judicial powers in the state. There is a Circuit Court in each city and county in Virginia.

Areas of Jurisdiction

Civil Actions:

monetary claims over $4,500 but not exceeding $15,000, concurrent jurisdiction with General District Courts
monetary claims exceeding $15,000, exclusive original jurisdiction
attachments
validity of a county or municipal ordinance or corporate bylaw

Criminal Cases:

all felonies, offenses that may be punished by commitment to the state penitentiary
misdemeanor charges originating from a grand jury indictment
transfer or certification of felony offenses committed by juveniles

Appeals:

appeals from the General District Court or Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court (heard de novo)
appeals from administrative agencies

These courts also handle any case for which jurisdiction is not specified in the Code of Virginia.

Terms of Court and General Information

At the beginning of each term of the circuit court, a grand jury is convened. These juries serve two purposes:

consider bills of indictment
determine whether there is sufficient probable cause to believe that a person accused of having committed a serious crime
- did commit such crime,
- and should stand trial.

The grand jury does not hear both sides of the case and does not determine the guilt or innocence of the accused.

A special grand jury is convened to investigate any condition which tends to promote criminal activity in the community or which indicates malfeasance of governmental agencies or officials. This g rand jury has subpoena powers and may summon persons, documents, or records needed in its investigation.

Terms begin the 3rd Monday of April, June, August, October, & December and Tuesday following 3^rd Monday in February.
Grand Juries, 1^st day of Term
Criminal cases set for Term at 9:30 a.m.
Civil cases set for Term at 10 a.m.
Commissioners in Chancery utilized for partition suits, suits to sell land of incompetents, occasional divorce cases. Ore tenus Hearings in Divorces if criteria is met.
Civil Motions heard every Friday beginning at 10 a.m.

Arlington Circuit Court Personnel

Circuit Court judges are elected by a majority vote of each House of the General Assembly. They serve for eight-year terms. Interim appointments are made by the Governor subject to election by the General Assembly at the next regular session. The chief judge of the circuit is elected for a two-year term by a vote of the judges serving in the circuit.

The Honorable William T. Newman, Jr., Chief Judge
The Honorable Daniel S. Fiore, II
The Honorable Louise M. DiMatteo

Paul Ferguson, Clerk of the Circuit Court