Bill Text: VA HB743 | 2018 | Regular Session | Chaptered

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Bill Title: Judges; maximum number in each judicial district and circuit.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)

Status: (Passed) 2018-03-02 - Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0126) [HB743 Detail]

Download: Virginia-2018-HB743-Chaptered.html

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CHAPTER 126 An Act to amend and reenact §§16.1-69.6:1, as it is currently effective and as it shall become effective, and 17.1-507 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the maximum number of judges in each judicial district and circuit. [H 743] Approved March 2, 2018

 

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §§16.1-69.6:1, as it is currently effective and as it shall become effective, and 17.1-507 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:

§16.1-69.6:1. (Effective until July 1, 2018) Number of judges.

For the several judicial districts there shall be full-time general district court judges and juvenile and domestic relations district court judges, the maximum number as hereinafter set forth, who shall during their service reside within their respective districts, except as provided in § 16.1-69.16, and whose compensation and powers shall be the same as now and hereafter prescribed for general district court judges and juvenile and domestic relations district court judges.

The maximum number of judges of the districts shall be as follows:

		General District	Juvenile and Domestic
		Court Judges	Relations District Court Judges
	First	4	4
	Second	7	7 6
	Two-A	1 2	1
	Third	2	3
	Fourth	6	5
	Fifth	2 3	2
	Sixth	4 5	2 3
	Seventh	4	4
	Eighth	3	3
	Ninth	3	4
	Tenth	3	4 3
	Eleventh	3	3
	Twelfth	5	6
	Thirteenth	6	4 5
	Fourteenth	5	5
	Fifteenth	8	10 9
	Sixteenth	4	6
	Seventeenth	3	2
	Eighteenth	2	2
	Nineteenth	11	7 8
	Twentieth	4	3
	Twenty-first	1 2	2
	Twenty-second	2	4
	Twenty-third	4	5
	Twenty-fourth	3	6
	Twenty-fifth	3 4	5
	Twenty-sixth	5	7
	Twenty-seventh	5	5
	Twenty-eighth	2 3	3
	Twenty-ninth	2	3
	Thirtieth	2	2 3
	Thirty-first	5	5

The election or appointment of any district judge shall be subject to the provisions of §16.1-69.9:3.

§16.1-69.6:1. (Effective July 1, 2018) Number of judges.

For the several judicial districts there shall be full-time general district court judges and juvenile and domestic relations district court judges, the maximum number as hereinafter set forth, who shall during their service reside within their respective districts, except as provided in § 16.1-69.16, and whose compensation and powers shall be the same as now and hereafter prescribed for general district court judges and juvenile and domestic relations district court judges.

The maximum number of judges of the districts shall be as follows:

		General District	Juvenile and Domestic
		Court Judges	Relations District Court Judges
	First	4	4
	Second	7	7 6
	Two-A	1 2	1
	Third	2	3
	Fourth	6	5
	Fifth	2 3	2
	Sixth	4 5	2 3
	Seventh	4	4
	Eighth	3	3
	Ninth	3	4
	Tenth	3	4 3
	Eleventh	3	3
	Twelfth	5	6
	Thirteenth	6	4 5
	Fourteenth	5	5
	Fifteenth	8	10 9
	Sixteenth	4	6
	Seventeenth	3	2
	Eighteenth	2	2
	Nineteenth	11	8
	Twentieth	4	3
	Twenty-first	1 2	2
	Twenty-second	2	4
	Twenty-third	4	5
	Twenty-fourth	3	6
	Twenty-fifth	4	5
	Twenty-sixth	5	7
	Twenty-seventh	5	5
	Twenty-eighth	2 3	3
	Twenty-ninth	2	3
	Thirtieth	2	2 3
	Thirty-first	5	5

The election or appointment of any district judge shall be subject to the provisions of §16.1-69.9:3.

§17.1-507. Maximum number of judges; residence requirement; compensation; powers; etc.

A. For the several judicial circuits there shall be judges, the maximum number as hereinafter set forth, who shall during their service reside within their respective circuits and whose compensation and powers shall be the same as now and hereafter prescribed for circuit judges.

The maximum number of judges of the circuits shall be as follows:

First -- 5

Second -- 9 8

Third -- 4

Fourth -- 8

Fifth -- 3 4

Sixth -- 3

Seventh -- 6 5

Eighth -- 3

Ninth -- 4

Tenth -- 4

Eleventh -- 3

Twelfth -- 6

Thirteenth -- 8 7

Fourteenth -- 5

Fifteenth -- 11

Sixteenth -- 6

Seventeenth -- 3 4

Eighteenth -- 4 3

Nineteenth -- 15

Twentieth -- 5

Twenty-first -- 2 3

Twenty-second -- 5 4

Twenty-third -- 5

Twenty-fourth -- 5 6

Twenty-fifth -- 5 6

Twenty-sixth -- 8

Twenty-seventh -- 7 6

Twenty-eighth -- 4

Twenty-ninth -- 5

Thirtieth -- 4

Thirty-first -- 6

B. No additional circuit court judge shall be authorized or provided for any judicial circuit until the Judicial Council has made a study of the need for such additional circuit court judge and has reported its findings and recommendations to the Courts of Justice Committees of the House of Delegates and Senate. The boundary of any judicial circuit shall not be changed until a study has been made by the Judicial Council and a report of its findings and recommendations made to said Committees.

C. If the Judicial Council finds the need for an additional circuit court judge after a study is made pursuant to subsection B, the study shall be made available to the Compensation Board and the Courts of Justice Committees of the House of Delegates and Senate and Council shall publish notice of such finding in a publication of general circulation among attorneys licensed to practice in the Commonwealth. The Compensation Board shall make a study of the need to provide additional courtroom security and deputy court clerk staffing. This study shall be reported to the Courts of Justice Committees of the House of Delegates and the Senate, and to the Department of Planning and Budget.

2. That the provisions of this act reducing the number of authorized judgeships in the Second Judicial Circuit shall become effective upon the death, resignation, or retirement on or after January 1, 2018, of any judge of that court.