Northern Virginia Appeals Process Attorneys
The Virginia court system is made up of four different levels: District Court, Circuit Court, Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of Virginia. Certain courts have jurisdiction over certain types of cases. The Fairfax divorce court attorneys at the Nova Family Law Group have experience handling cases at all levels of the system.
When you hire our firm to handle your family law matter, you can feel confident that your lawyer has the knowledge and the skill to effectively handle your case, regardless of which court will be hearing it. The information on this page is provided to give you a better understanding of the Virginia court system and which court handles which types of cases.
The Virginia Court System
District Court: District court does not conduct any jury trials. It is broken up into two divisions: General, and Juvenile and Domestic Relations (J and DR).
General district court handles cases a variety of cases, including criminal offenses, civil cases, traffic offenses, preliminary hearings in felony offenses and other matters.
Juvenile and Domestic Relations district court handles all issues dealing with minors, including criminal offenses, child abuse, neglect and foster care, among others. In addition, J and DR district court also deals with domestic violence and a number of family law related issues, including child support, spousal support, custody and visitation, and others.
Circuit Court: The circuit court is the only trial court of general jurisdiction in Virginia. The circuit court has jurisdiction over many different types of cases, including felony offenses, exclusive jurisdiction over monetary claims in excess of $15,000, estate matters, property disputes, adoptions and all aspects of divorce proceedings, including all of the issues handled in district court as well as other issues, such as property division.
The circuit court also handles appeals from the general, and J and DR district courts. If you are not satisfied with the result of your case in district court, we can explore the viability of an appeal to the circuit court.
Court of Appeals: The Court of Appeals reviews decisions from circuit courts in all types of cases, including criminal matters, workers' compensation, civil cases and divorce-related issues. We can help you appeal any issue from a circuit court decision to the Court of Appeals.
Supreme Court of Virginia: The Supreme Court's primary purpose is to review decisions from trial and appellate courts. Cases that go to the Supreme Court are very rare and must be of substantial import. Most cases that are appealed to the Supreme Court come from decisions made by the Court of Appeals, although the Supreme Court will be the first court to review decisions involving the death penalty and certain other types of cases. There is a separate briefing process involved and a writ of certiorari must be obtained. Some examples of cases our firm might appeal to the Supreme Court include Hague Convention issues, definition of marriage and matters involving civil unions or domestic partnerships.
Contact Our Law Firm Today
To schedule an initial consultation with one of our family law attorneys, call us at 703-763-0980, toll free at 866-639-8801 or contact us online.
