Structure of the Virginia Court System

At the very top level of Virginia's court system is the Supreme Court, which is also known as the ‘court of the last resort’. This court reserves the rights of looking into the decisions of the State Corporation Commission of Virginia, as and when required.

The Supreme Court has the authority to review the rulings of all lower courts – be it the circuit courts or the other Courts of Appeal. Cases involving the attorneys of the state are also settled by the authorities at the Supreme Court.

Virginia Courts of Appeal

The Virginia court system also provides for the establishment of the Courts of Appeal. These courts can hear appeals of decisions passed by all courts under them. The laws related to Virginia court information clearly state that criminal lawsuits and cases of traffic violation are heard at the courts in this level. The decisions of the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Committee are also reviewed here.

Circuit and District Courts

Thirty-one separate courts of law come together to form the circuit court system of Virginia. The creation of the circuit courts follows the directives mentioned in the Virginia courts information databases. Both civil and criminal lawsuits are heard at these courts.

The courts at the district level of Virginia (the General District Courts) act as trial courts that can hear cases from all over the commonwealth. However, the jurisdictional authorities extended to the district courts are of a limited nature. Juvenile criminal cases and cases of domestic troubles (including violence) are decided by these courts.

Magistrate Powers

Next in the legal system in Virginia is the Office of the Magistrate. This office enjoys manifold judicial powers in the context of civil and criminal lawsuits in the state. With enforcements of different laws, as well as the help of general public opinions, the magistrate is supposed to get to the chief reasons behind any crime that takes place within the state.

The Magistrate is aided in his/her functions by the courts that are present in all the thirty-two district level courts. Whether or not motions for bail should be granted or not also depends on the discretionary powers of the magistrate of the state.

At the district courts of Virginia, mainly civil case hearings are held. The issues behind these cases range from petty traffic cases to domestic infractions. Legal monetary controversies (up to the extent of $15,000) can be looked into by the district courts of Virginia.

Special justices are also appointed in Virginia State. These personnel are responsible for psychological issue-related cases, as well as those that involve mental health commitments.