Bill Text: VA SB317 | 2014 | Regular Session | Prefiled

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Bill Title: Judges; increases number in circuit and district courts.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-01-22 - Incorporated by Courts of Justice [SB317 Detail]

Download: Virginia-2014-SB317-Prefiled.html

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14103295D
SENATE BILL NO. 317 Offered January 8, 2014 Prefiled January 6, 2014 A BILL to amend and reenact §§16.1-69.6:1 and 17.1-507 of the Code of Virginia, relating to number of judges. ---------- Patrons-- Vogel and Obenshain ---------- Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice ----------

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §§16.1-69.6:1 and 17.1-507 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:

§16.1-69.6:1. 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 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 number of judges of the districts shall be as follows:

                                                 Juvenile and Domestic
                        General District Court     Relations District
                                Judges                Court Judges
  First                            4                       3
  Second                           7                       7
  Two-A                            1                       1
  Third                            3                       3
  Fourth                           6                       5
  Fifth                            3                       2
  Sixth                            4                       2
  Seventh                          4                       4
  Eighth                           3                       3
  Ninth                            3                       3
  Tenth                            3                       3
  Eleventh                         2                       2
  Twelfth                          4                       5
  Thirteenth                       8                       5
  Fourteenth                       4                       5
  Fifteenth                        6                       7
  Sixteenth                        4                       4
  Seventeenth                      4                       2
  Eighteenth                       2                       2
  Nineteenth                      11                       8
  Twentieth                        4                       3
  Twenty-first                     2                       2
  Twenty-second                    2                       3
  Twenty-third                     5                       4
  Twenty-fourth                    4                       5
  Twenty-fifth                     5                       4
  The general district court judges of the twenty-fifth district shall
  render assistance on a regular basis to the general district court
  judges of the twenty-sixth district by appropriate designation.
  Twenty-sixth                   4 5                     5 7
  Twenty-seventh                   5                       4
  Twenty-eighth                    2                       2
  Twenty-ninth                     3                       2
  Thirtieth                        2                       2
  Thirty-first                     4                       5

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

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

A. For the several judicial circuits there shall be judges, the 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 number of judges of the circuits shall be as follows:

First - 5

Second - 10

Third - 5

Fourth - 9

Fifth - 3

Sixth - 2

Seventh - 5

Eighth - 4

Ninth - 4

Tenth - 3

Eleventh - 3

Twelfth - 5

Thirteenth - 8

Fourteenth - 5

Fifteenth - 9

Sixteenth - 5

Seventeenth - 4

Eighteenth - 3

Nineteenth - 15

Twentieth - 4 5

Twenty-first - 3

Twenty-second - 4

Twenty-third - 6

Twenty-fourth - 5

Twenty-fifth - 4

Twenty-sixth - 5 8

Twenty-seventh - 5

Twenty-eighth - 3

Twenty-ninth - 4

Thirtieth - 3

Thirty-first - 5

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.