Judicial Boards and Commissions
Board of Bar Examiners
Location:
2201 West Broad Street
Suite 101
Richmond, Virginia 23220
Suite 101
Richmond, Virginia 23220
Code Reference:
§ 54.1-3919
Purpose:
The Virginia Board of Bar Examiners ("Board") is an agency of the Supreme Court of Virginia. In addition, its statutory authority is found in ' 54.1-3919 et seq. of the Code of Virginia. The Board is responsible for ascertaining the qualifications of applicants for admission to the Bar of Virginia and licensing those applicants who meet those requirements as established by the Supreme Court of Virginia, the Virginia General Assembly, and the Rules and Regulations issued by the Board.
Web Site:
Indigent Defense Commission
Location:
Indigent Defense Commission
1604 Santa Rosa Road
Suite 200
Richmond, Virginia 23229
Tel. (804) 662-7249
1604 Santa Rosa Road
Suite 200
Richmond, Virginia 23229
Tel. (804) 662-7249
Code Reference:
§ 19.2-163.01
Purpose:
The Indigent Defense Commission (VIDC) provides criminal defense representation for indigent clients. There are 32 public defender/capital defender offices statewide and the agency also provides certification and training for court appointed attorneys.
Web Site:
Location:
1604 Santa Rosa Road, Suite 200
Richmond, Virginia 23229
Tel. (804) 662-7249 ? Fax (804) 662-7359
Richmond, Virginia 23229
Tel. (804) 662-7249 ? Fax (804) 662-7359
Code:
§ 19.2-163.02
Purpose:
The purpose of the Indigent Defense Commission is to publicize and enforce the qualification standards for attorneys seeking eligibility to serve as court-appointed counsel for indigent defendants pursuant to ' 19.2-159.
Composition:
The Virginia Indigent Defense Commission shall consist of fourteen members as follows: the chairmen of the House and Senate Committees for Courts of Justice or their designees who shall be members of the Courts of Justice committees; the chairman of the Virginia State Crime Commission or his designee; the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court or his designee; two attorneys officially designated by the Virginia State Bar; two persons appointed by the Governor; three persons appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates; and three persons appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules. At least one of the appointments made by the Governor, one of the appointments made by the Speaker, and one of the appointments made by the Senate Committee on Rules, shall be an attorney in private practice with a demonstrated interest in indigent defense issues.
Term:
Persons who are appointed by virtue of their office shall hold terms coincident with their terms of office. If the chairman of the Virginia State Crime Commission is the chairman of the House Committee for Courts of Justice, then the vice-chairman of the Committee shall serve in the position designated for the Committee chairman or the chairman of the Senate Committee for Courts of Justice, then the Senate Committee on Rules, upon the recommendation of the chairman of the Committee, shall appoint a member of the Committee to serve in the position designated for the Committee chairman. All other members shall be appointed for terms of three years and may be reappointed.
Senate Members:
- The Honorable R. Creigh Deeds, Designee, Chairman, Senate Committee for Courts of Justice
House Members:
- The Honorable Vivian E. Watts, Vice Chair, House Committee on Courts of Justice
Gubernatorial Appointees:
- Term Expires
- Henry Lawrence Chambers6/30/2022
- Nicholas M. Braswell6/30/2022
Legislative Appointees:
- Stephen D. BenjaminJune 30, 2023
- Artisha GreggJune 30, 2023
- Manuel LeivaJune 30, 2024
- Christie LearyJune 30, 2024
- LaRana OwensJune 30, 2024
- Guy W. Horsley Jr.June 30, 2024
- John G. Douglass
- David Lett
Ex Officio Members:
- Kristen Howard, Designee, Chair, Virginia State Crime Commission
- The Honorable Karl R. Hade, Executive Secretary, Supreme Court of Virginia
Legislative Details:
Court of Appeals of Virginia
Location:
109 North Eighth Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219-2321
Tel. (804) 371-8428
Richmond, Virginia 23219-2321
Tel. (804) 371-8428
Code Reference:
§ 17.1-400
Purpose:
The Court of Appeals of Virginia provides appellate review of final decisions of the circuit courts in domestic relations matters, appeals from decisions of an administrative agency, traffic infractions and criminal cases, except where a sentence of death has been imposed.
Circuit Courts
Code Reference:
§ 17.1-500
Purpose:
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 all 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. 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.
Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission
Location:
100 North 9th Street, 5th Floor
Richmond, Virginia 23219
Tel. (804) 225-4398
Richmond, Virginia 23219
Tel. (804) 225-4398
Code Reference:
§ 17.1-800
Purpose:
The Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission (VCSC) is charged with developing, implementing, and administering felony sentencing guidelines used in circuit courts throughout the Commonwealth.
Web Site:
Location:
100 North 9th Street, 5th Floor
Richmond, Virginia 23219
Tel. (804) 225-4398
Richmond, Virginia 23219
Tel. (804) 225-4398
Code:
§ 17.1-802
Purpose:
The Virginia Sentencing Commission shall develop discretionary sentencing guidelines to achieve the goals of certainty, consistency, and adequacy of punishment with due regard to the seriousness of the offense, the dangerousness of the offender, deterrence of individuals from committing criminal offenses and the use of alternative sanctions, where appropriate.
Composition:
The Commission shall be composed of seventeen members as follows: six judges or justices, who may be judges of a circuit court who regularly hear criminal cases or judges or justices of the Supreme Court or the Court of Appeals, to be appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia; one person who is not an active member of the judiciary, to be appointed as Chairman by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia for a term of four years subject to confirmation by the General Assembly. The Chairman shall designate a vice-chairman from among the other members to serve a term commensurate with that of the Chairman; the Chairman of the House Committee for Courts of Justice or his designee who shall be a member of the committee and two persons to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates; the Chairman of the Senate Committee for Courts of Justice or his designee who shall be a member of the committee and one person to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; four persons to be appointed by the Governor, at least one of whom shall be a representative of a crime victims' organization or a victim of crime as defined in subsection B of ' 19.2-11.01; and the Attorney General of Virginia or his designee for a term commensurate with his term of office. All members shall be citizens of the Commonwealth.
Term:
Except for legislative members and gubernatorial appointments, appointments to the Commission made on and after January 1, 2001, shall be for terms of four years. Legislative members shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office.
Senate Members:
- The Honorable John S. Edwards, Chair, Senate Committee for Courts of Justice
House Members:
- The Honorable Leslie R. (Les) Adams, Designee, Chairman, House Committee on Courts of Justice
Gubernatorial Appointees:
- Term Expires
- Shannon L. Taylor12/31/2022
- Michon J. Moon12/31/2025
- Linda W. Brown12/31/2022
- Timothy Stephen Coyne12/31/2024
Legislative Appointees:
- Marcus ElamJune 30, 2024
- Edward L. Hogshire, Chair
- 6 Judges or Justices
- Thomas MannJune 30, 2024
- K. Scott MilesDecember 31, 2025
Ex Officio Members:
- The Honorable Mark R. Herring, Attorney General
Legislative Details:
Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission
Location:
Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission
Post Office Box 367
Richmond, Virginia 23218-0367
Tel. (804) 786-6636
Fax (804) 371-0650
Post Office Box 367
Richmond, Virginia 23218-0367
Tel. (804) 786-6636
Fax (804) 371-0650
Code Reference:
§ 17.1-901
Purpose:
The Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission (JIRC) was created by the Constitution of Virginia to investigate charges of judicial misconduct or serious mental or physical disability. The Commission has seven members consisting of three judges, two lawyers, and two citizens who are not lawyers.
Information accurate as of December 2021