RD44 - Judicial Council of Virginia 2010 Report to the General Assembly and Supreme Court of Virginia


Executive Summary:
The Judicial Council of Virginia was established by statute in 1930. Pursuant to Va. Code § 17.1-703, it is charged with making a continuous study of the organization, rules, procedures and practice of the Judicial System of the Commonwealth of Virginia, including examining the work accomplished and results produced by the Judicial System. Providing guidance to the court system’s comprehensive planning process is a central component of these responsibilities.

During 2010, the Judiciary moved forward on a number of long- term strategic initiatives. Among these were efforts stemming from the work of the Pandemic Flu Preparedness Commission and the Commission on Mental Health Law Reform. In addition, the Judicial System advanced its implementation of electronic filing in the circuit courts, an effort for which the Judicial Council approved a number of proposed rules changes. The Supreme Court of Virginia adopted selected recommendations from the second Futures Commission; these recommendations had been approved previously by the Judicial Council and will inform the Judiciary’s Comprehensive Planning Process in future years. In addition to its own internal efforts to implement the current Strategic Plan, the Office of the Executive Secretary (OES) is developing a toolkit that will help local trial courts to develop and implement plans to support the court system’s mission. The information in this report 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 recommendation of the Judicial Council for the 2011 Session of the General Assembly.