Other County Court News
Browse through the briefs below for news and information on courts in Alexandria, Arlington County, Loudoun County, and Prince William County. If you are a representative of one of these courts, and have a news item to submit, send the information to news@fairfaxbar.org.
Alexandria Court News
Arlington County Court News
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- Electronics in the Arlington County Courthouse: In consultation with the judiciary and pursuant to an order signed by the Chief Circuit Court Judge, effective April 23, 2007 all cellular phones, pagers, personal data assistants (PDAs), tape recorders, cameras, photographic, video recording and other similar equipment will be prohibited in the Arlington County Courthouse.
This policy is proactively being implemented for safety and security reasons and to ensure the integrity of the judicial process.
The following individuals are exempt from the prohibition against carrying cellular phones and other electronic devices into the Arlington County Courthouse:
- Judicial Officer
- Arlington County Courthouse employees possessing a valid Courthouse
- Arlington County Employees possessing a valid County ID
- Local, State and Federal Law Enforcement Officers on official business and possessing proper credentials
- Attorneys who present a valid government issued photo identification and a valid issued Virginia Bar membership card
- Building and maintenance tradesman, equipment repairman, vendors, etc., may be permitted to retain their personal communication devices upon the determination by the Sheriff’s Office that do not pose a security risk and the ability to access such devices is necessary for their work at the courthouse
- Individual(s) approved by an Arlington County Judge or Courthouse User Agency/Department Head or designee. Written information is submitted to the Sheriff’s Office Court Security Supervisor detailing the individual(s) name, purpose, period of time and electronic device(s) approved.
Use of cellular phones and other electronic devices by persons exempt from the prohibition shall not take place in any courtroom without prior approval of the appropriate court/judge. A violation of this Administrative Order will be considered Contempt of Court and will be addressed appropriately by the courts.
Attorneys wishing to bring cellular phones and other electronic devices into the Courthouse are requested to have their Virginia Bar membership card and valid government issued photo identification readily available to present to Sheriff’s Office staff and screening station(s). Attorneys will be required to continue to pass through the magnetometer and have all items screened through the x-ray machines.
Visitors to the courthouse are required to leave their cellular phones and other prohibited electronic devices in their vehicles or to store them in lockers provided in the lobby of the Detention Facility (located directly across the courtyard from the courthouse entrance) for a nominal fee of 25 cents.
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Loundoun County Court News
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- To learn about Loundoun County's Circuit Court docket, go here.
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- Due to the increased caseload of the Loudoun Circuit Court, as of August and September 2005, the following changes in Motions Days and Criminal Docket Days will become effective:
1. First Friday Motions Day
Effective September 2, 2005, Motions Days held on the first Friday of every month, or as may be rescheduled due to the Court being closed, will be devoted entirely to civil cases. Each of the three resident judges will have a chancery docket commencing at 10:00 a.m. and a law docket commencing at 2:00 PM In addition, one judge will handle the scheduling docket at 9:00 a.m., while the other two judges will be available for ore tenus hearings in divorce cases properly praeciped for 9:00 AM, or previously scheduled by the Court.
All praecipes must still be filed seven days in advance. The twenty-minute time limit for chancery and law cases will continue to apply.
Effective September 2, 2005, there will be no criminal motions on the first Friday of the month. Criminal motions will be moved to the fourth Friday, effective August 26, 2005, as explained below.
2. Second Friday Misdemeanor Appeals and Criminal Docket
Misdemeanor Appeals and the criminal docket on the second Friday of the month will remain the same. Two judges will hear misdemeanor Appeals and one judge will preside over the criminal docket. The Court intends to utilize this docket primarily for probation violation hearings.
3. Habitual Offender or Driver's License Restoration Cases and Show Causes involving Driver's Licenses will be heard on Second Fridays at 1:00 PM
Effective September 9, 2005, the following types of cases will be set to be heard on the second Friday of each month at 1:00 p.m.:
a. Petitions for restoration of driving privileges by habitual offenders or other persons whose driver's license has been revoked or suspended.
b. Show cause proceedings involving driver's license, e.g., ASAP violations.
These matters will be heard by one judge commencing at 1:00 p.m. and may be set by praecipe filed seven days in advance or set specially by the Court. These matters will no longer be heard on the first Friday Motions Day.
4. Criminal Motions Day moved from First to Fourth Friday (except November and December)
The present criminal motions day on the first Friday will be moved to the Fourth Friday of each month commencing Friday, August 26, 2005. The procedure will remain the same as it has been for first Fridays. Matters may be praeciped for the 9:00 a.m. docket only with praecipes filed seven days in advance. This will be the only criminal docket for which the Commonwealth or the defendant may praecipe a case. It will be utilized the same as the present first Friday criminal motions day. The last first Friday criminal motions day will be on Friday, August 5, 2005.
However, because of the holidays, there will be no Fourth Friday criminal motions day in November or December of each year. If the Commonwealth or a defendant wants a case placed on the docket in November or December, then it can be praeciped for a Term Day or a Monday at 9:00 a.m. for scheduling.
5. Additional Criminal Docket on Fourth Mondays
Commencing Monday, September 26, 2005, an additional criminal docket day will be on the Fourth Monday of each month. It will be utilized in the same manner as the second Friday criminal docket day. One judge will preside over a 9:00 a.m. and a 1:00 p.m. docket. The Court intends to utilize this docket primarily for pleas and other matters not involving the Probation and Parole Office.
However, because of the holidays, there will be no Fourth Monday criminal docket in November or December.
6. Criminal cases already set for First Friday Motions Day on or after September 2005
A case already scheduled for a first Friday criminal motions day on or after September 2, 2005, will remain on the docket for the date and time previously scheduled. A judge will be available to hear such cases due to the scheduling of civil motions on first Fridays effective September 2, 2005.
7. Term Days and Indictment Return Days will not be changed
8. Monday Morning 9:00 a.m. Scheduling will not be changed
9. Wednesday Morning Drug Court at 8:00 a.m. will not be changed
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Prince William County Court News
- The Prince William County Bar Association announced its Board of Directors for the upcoming year.
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- This message is posted at the request of Chief Judge Lon E. Farris: Beginning October 1, 2009, all civil motions must be filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court at least two weeks in advance of the day on which the motion is scheduled to be heard. Civil motions to be heard on October 16, 2009, must be filed no later than October 2.
This change is being implemented to accommodate the docketing and paperless system recently instituted by the Clerk. It is hoped that the new requirement will ease concerns recently expressed by attorneys practicing before this Court and enable greater efficiency in processing motions and orders.
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- Updated news and forms from the Prince William Courthouse. Click here for the latest updates.
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A message from Sheriff Hill about Attorney Identification Card Privilege
First, I would like to express my appreciation to all the members of the Bar Association that supported me in my reelection to the office of Sheriff. No candidate can be successful without support for professional organizations like yours, and I commit once again that I will do the right thing as your Sheriff.
Last year, this office extended a privilege to attorneys in good standing. That privilege was an identification card that allows entry into the courthouse without standing in the general public queue. I am pleased to announce to you that the Attorney Identification Card privilege will be extended until the end of my current term in 2011.
Your existing card will be honored through the month of January 2008. During that month, anytime during working hours, you may stop by the Sheriff’s Office to have a new expiration date affixed to your card. There have been no changes in the rules and regulations that govern the use of the Attorney Identification card, and I hope this special access makes your work here at the courthouse more efficient.
I would greatly appreciate your assistance in notifying the other area associations, whose members may do business here as well, on the extension of this program.
Sincerely,
Glen Hill, Sheriff |
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