Hanover General District Court, Virginia
Court-Level Rules, Filing Procedures & Policies
- Rules last changed:
Adjournments
- Continuance requests for accident cases with witnesses may be processed through 4:00 p.m. two days before the court date.
- All other continuance requests must be received by 3:00 p.m. on the day before the court date.
- Defendant continuance requests may be processed by phone, mail, or fax through 3:00 p.m. on the day before the court date.
Communication
Phone
Clerk
Document Filing Requirements5 rules
3rd/Subsequent payment plan request – Defendant must file a motion to go before the Judge, including a DC-211, Petition for Payment Agreement for Fines and Costs.
Defendants must request, complete, and sign DC-210, and must sign Part I and the driver’s-license acknowledgment when requesting a deferred payment plan.
Court's wording
Defendants must come to the Clerk’s office to request, complete, and sign the form DC-210. The DC-210 is an agreement that is used to inform the defendant of the amount that is owed for fines and court costs. The defendant is required to sign Part I (Order for Payment Agreement) for the DC-210, Acknowledgement of Suspension of Driver’s License when requesting a deferred payment plan.
A convicted defendant who qualifies for the Social Security exemption must complete DC-210 to indicate current financial status and submit DC-211.
Court's wording
If you are convicted and qualify for this exemption, you must fill out a DC-210 (Fines and Costs Payment Agreement/Acknowledgement of Driver’s License Status) indicating your current financial status., and DC-211 (Petition for Payment Agreement for Fines and Costs or Request to Modify Existing Agreement.)
Motion must be filed by the defendant and set for a hearing, where the defendant must appear.
If an attorney is retained and wishes to set a trial date before the arraignment date, the trial date would be set through the Clerk’s office. The attorney must send the court a letter stating he/she has been retained and request the date provided by the Clerk’s office.
Filing & Service rules
Electronic Filing Rules
Payment plans cannot be initiated online; defendants generally must request, complete, and sign DC-210 at the Clerk’s office, while qualifying defendants who live more than 50 miles away may request one by U.S. mail.
Payment plans CANNOT be initiated online. Defendants must come to the Clerk’s office to request, complete, and sign the form DC-210. The DC-210 is an agreement that is used to inform the defendant of the amount that is owed for fines and court costs. The defendant is required to sign Part I (Order for Payment Agreement) for the DC-210, Acknowledgement of Suspension of Driver’s License when requesting a deferred payment plan. All fines and costs subject to default or collection from Hanover General District Court may be incorporated into one payment plan. Defendants who properly demonstrate they reside more than 50 miles from the courthouse are eligible to request a payment plan via US mail.
Criminal cases
Page 1 | Payment Plans (DC-210) Policy and Procedure
Payment agreements may not be set up online.
Payment Agreements may not be set up online.
Criminal cases
Page 1 | Payment Plans (DC-210) Policy and Procedure
Filing Timing and Cure Windows
New filings, other than Unlawful Detainers and Garnishments, should have a return date within 90 days after the Court receives the filing.
All new filings (except Unlawful Detainers and Garnishments) for Hanover General District Court should have a return date of no more than 90 days from the day the Court receives the filing.
Page 1 | Additional Information — Civil Filing Return Dates
Filing Fees and Waivers
An initial payment plan carries a $10.00 fee added to the balance due.
A $10.00 payment plan fee will be added to the balance due
Criminal cases
Page 1 | Payment Plans (DC-210) Policy and Procedure
Payment Plans & new civil filings: M-F 8AM-3:30PM
Payment Plans & new civil filings: M-F 8AM-3:30PM
Page 1 | Clerk of Court
Payments are taken Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 3:45 PM.
Payments taken Mon-Fri 8 AM to 3:45 PM
Page 1 | Clerk of Court
Adjournment & Extension Requirements
Attorney continuance requests must be submitted in writing.
Attorney continuance requests must be received in writing.
Page 1 | Continuance Policy
A defendant is allowed only one continuance.
Defendants are allowed only 1 (one) continuance.
Page 1 | Continuance Policy
Defendant continuance requests may be processed by phone, mail, or fax through 3:00 p.m. on the day before the court date.
Defendant continuance requests can be processed by phone, mail or fax until 3:00pm on the day before the court date.
Page 1 | Continuance Policy
Continuance requests for accident cases with witnesses may be processed through 4:00 p.m. two days before the court date.
All requests for continuances of accident cases with witnesses (by attorney or defendant) can be processed up to 4:00pm two days before the court date.
Page 1 | Continuance Policy
After trial is set, zoning and building code violations and environmental violations may be continued by agreement of the defendant and the County Attorney’s Office; without agreement, a motion must be made to the judge in court.
The following cases, after being set for trial, may be continued on agreement of Defendant and the County Attorney’s Office. If there is no agreement, by the Judge on motion (in court): • Zoning and Building Code violations (with or without attorneys) • Environmental Violations
Page 1 | Continuance Policy
Cases not involving the Commonwealth’s Attorney or County Attorney offices may be continued by agreement of the defendant and the Clerk’s office; without agreement, a motion must be made to the judge in court.
Cases that do not involve the Commonwealth’s Attorney or County Attorney offices may be continued on agreement of Defendant and the Clerk’s office. If there is no agreement, by the Judge on motion (in court):
Page 1 | Continuance Policy
All other continuance requests must be received by 3:00 p.m. on the day before the court date.
All other continuance requests must be received by 3:00pm on the day before the court date.
Page 1 | Continuance Policy
After trial is set, the listed criminal cases may be continued by agreement of the defendant and the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office; without agreement, a motion must be made to the judge in court.
The following cases, after being set for trial, may be continued on agreement of Defendant and the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office. If there is no agreement, by the Judge on motion (in court): • Traffic accidents involving fatalities • Traffic cases where Commonwealth Attorney is involved as requested by officers • All arraigned criminal cases including DUI, Felonies and Class 1 and 2 Misdemeanors • Citizen warrants (with or without attorneys) • Cross warrants (with or without attorneys) • Class 1 and 2 Misdemeanors and Felonies for the following dockets: Animal Control, Game Warden, Forestry and Fire Code
Page 1 | Continuance Policy
A trial may be continued only in court.
Trials can only be continued in court.
Page 1 | Continuance Policy — Civil Case
A first return may be continued only by a written agreement of all parties.
First Returns can only be continued in writing by agreement of all parties.
Page 1 | Continuance Policy — Civil Case
A criminal case may be continued only in advance, in writing, and by agreement with the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office.
Criminal cases can only be continued in advance in writing by agreement with the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office, 804-365-6185.
Page 1 | Continuance Policy — Criminal Cases
Chambers Communication Rules
If a defendant whose sole income is Social Security benefits gains another source of income, the defendant must contact the Clerk’s office to enter into a payment agreement.
Should circumstances change and there is an additional source of income, the defendant must contact the clerk’s office to enter into a payment agreement.
Criminal cases
Page 2 | Social Security Exemptions
To schedule a motion in a civil case, call the Clerk's office.
Please call the Clerk's office to schedule motions for a civil case.
Page 1 | Court Schedule
Payment plans are processed in the Clerk’s office from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Payment plans are processed in the Clerk’s office between 8:00am and 3:30pm Monday – Friday.
Criminal cases
Page 1 | Payment Plans (DC-210) Policy and Procedure