RD74 - Judicial Council of Virginia 2008 Report to the General Assembly and Supreme Court of Virginia


Executive Summary:
The Judicial Council of Virginia was established by statute in 1930 and is charged with the responsibility of making a continuous study of the organization, rules, procedures, and practice of the judicial system of the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is responsible for examining the work accomplished and results produced by the judicial system, including the Office of the Executive Secretary and individual courts. The preparation and publication of the court system’s comprehensive plan is central to meeting these responsibilities.

During 2008, the Office of the Executive Secretary developed a new strategic plan for the Judiciary, Virginia’s Courts in the 21st Century: To Benefit All, To Exclude None. Once the plan is adopted by the Supreme Court of Virginia, most of the tasks necessary to implement the plan will be the direct responsibility of the Judicial Council or the Office of the Executive Secretary (OES), while others will directly involve local courts. Among the chapters of this report, the Judicial Council presents status reports of activities related to the operation of the comprehensive planning process, the implementation of the Magistrate System reforms, the recommendations of the Second Futures Commission, the Advisory Committee on Domestic Violence Issues in Virginia’s Courts, and the Judicial Performance Evaluation program. This information is provided in order to inform members of the General Assembly, judges and court personnel, the Bar, media, and the public about the Judiciary’s efforts to better serve the citizens of Virginia. This report also sets forth the legislative recommendations of the Judicial Council for the 2009 Session of the General Assembly.