• Date Due: January 13, 2027
  • Author: Judicial Council of Virginia
  • Enabling Authority: Chapter 880 Enactment Clause 3. (Regular Session, 2026)
  • Description:
    Report on the findings and recommendations of the study examining the organization and boundaries of the Fifteenth and Twentieth Judicial Circuits, and shall (i) review current caseload data, population data, other relevant data, and all calculations and recommendations provided in the three judicial workload studies conducted by the National Center for State Courts and submitted to the General Assembly to assess caseloads for the localities within the Fifteenth and Twentieth Judicial Circuits; (ii) evaluate current court management practices and judicial court assignments and provide an analysis of the impact of such practices and assignments on the overall efficiency of the courts and judges; (iii) consider the geography of the Fifteenth and Twentieth Judicial Circuits and time spent traveling between courthouses; (iv) analyze the composition of localities currently included in the Fifteenth and Twentieth Judicial Circuits as compared to other judicial circuits to determine whether they have a disproportionate number of localities with significant population and caseload growth; and (v) determine if the citizens of the Fifteenth and Twentieth Judicial Circuits would be better served by adjusting the boundary lines of such judicial circuits in order to create additional judicial circuits. If boundary lines are not recommended to be redrawn, the Judicial Council shall of Virginia shall provide suggestions to ease burdens on judges and specify any additional resources or support that the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia may be able to provide. [Reporting requirements of Chapter 615, Enactment Clause 4., 2026 Acts of Assembly, are identical.]