Henrico County Circuit Court, Virginia
Court-Level Rules, Filing Procedures & Policies
- Rules last changed:
Adjournments
- If it becomes necessary to continue the trial, a letter should be written to this court requesting a continuance and setting forth the reason, the amount of time estimated for the trial, and whether a trial by jury is requested.
- Felony continuance requests must be in writing and include a list of available dates for the court.
- If an order endorsed by the defendant cannot be produced, the continuance must be handled in court and the defendant must be present.
Request must include
Communication
Phone
Phone
Phone
Phone
Phone
Document Format Requirements4 rules
All continuance requests must be in writing, along with a list of available dates provided to the court.
If it becomes necessary to continue the trial, a letter should be written to this court requesting a continuance and setting forth the reason, the amount of time estimated for the trial, and whether a trial by jury is requested.
Original signatures are preferred but can contain digital and/or copies of signatures in lieu of original signatures.
If orders are faxed to the Clerk's office, DO NOT submit the original at a later time.
Document Filing Requirements5 rules
Once set, the attorney setting the trial date must write a confirming letter to all attorneys stating the trial date(s) and whether the case has been set with or without a jury.
A Domestic Relations Pre-trial Scheduling Order is required within 10 calendar days of setting the trial date.
Attorneys must also file a fully endorsed pretrial order within 10 days of setting the case.
Counsel will then be advised if the continuance is granted and advised to coordinate a date with the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office and submit an original order endorsed by all counsel and the defendant to the Circuit Court Clerk's Office.
NOTE: Orders must be submitted to the Circuit Court Clerk's office.
Filing & Service rules
Filing Timing and Cure Windows
The fully endorsed pretrial order is due within 10 days of setting the case.
Attorneys must also file a fully endorsed pretrial order within 10 days of setting the case.
Page 2 | CIVIL
Exhibits in civil domestic matters must be filed in advance.
Exhibits must be pre-filed.
Page 2 | Civil Domestic Matters
The Domestic Relations Pre-trial Scheduling Order is due within 10 calendar days of setting the trial date.
A Domestic Relations Pre-trial Scheduling Order is required within 10 calendar days of setting the trial date.
Page 2 | Civil Domestic Matters
Instructions must be submitted two days before trial.
Instructions must be submitted 2 days prior to trial.
Page 1 | Terms of Court and General Information
Adjournment & Extension Requirements
If it becomes necessary to continue the trial, a letter should be written to this court requesting a continuance and setting forth the reason, the amount of time estimated for the trial, and whether a trial by jury is requested.
If it becomes necessary to continue the trial, a letter should be written to this court requesting a continuance and setting forth the reason, the amount of time estimated for the trial, and whether a trial by jury is requested.
Page 3 | CRIMINAL
Felony continuance requests must be in writing and include a list of available dates for the court.
All continuance requests must be in writing, along with a list of available dates provided to the court.
Page 3 | Felonies
If an order endorsed by the defendant cannot be produced, the continuance must be handled in court and the defendant must be present.
If a fully endorsed order cannot be produced (to include the defendant's signature), continuances are to be done in court and the defendant must be present.
Page 3 | Felonies
Chambers Communication Rules
Applicants may apply for a payment arrangement through the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office; applicants for a non-guideline plan must report there within 7 days after submitting the application.
You may apply for a payment arrangement with the Henrico County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office. If you make application for a non-guideline payment plan you must report to the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office within 7 days of the submission of your application for a decision by the Court.
Criminal cases
Page 1 | NOTICE OF PAYMENT ALTERNATIVES FOR FINES AND COSTS
Call Mrs. Crook for last-minute trial changes, jury waivers, plea scheduling when a criminal jury is set, or when it is too late to write about a continuance.
CRIMINAL: Mrs. Taylor Crook is the Lead Judicial Administrative Support Assistant responsible for all criminal matters and should be called if it is determined at the last minute that the trials will take longer than preset, if a jury is waived, to set a guilty plea when a criminal jury is set, or if it is too late to write regarding a continuance.
Page 3 | CRIMINAL
Civil motions are scheduled for Fridays at 9:30 a.m. and must be set by telephone.
Civil motions set each Friday at 9:30 a.m. and must be set by telephone.
Page 1 | Terms of Court and General Information
Most civil domestic matters can be set by telephone.
Again, most cases can be set by telephone.
Page 2 | Civil Domestic Matters
Civil cases should be set by telephone.
Cases should be set by telephone.
Page 2 | CIVIL
Attorneys are asked to call Kasey Pate to preset appeal trials; she can also be contacted about domestic case settlements.
However, the Court requests attorneys to call Kasey Pate to preset the appeal trials. Protective Orders appealed from the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court take precedence on the docket. Protective Orders are set on the second Monday following the date the appeal is noted. Again, most cases can be set by telephone. To set any equitable distribution cases, a pretrial hearing must be done first. A Domestic Relations Pre-trial Scheduling Order is required within 10 calendar days of setting the trial date. Exhibits must be pre-filed. Any matter set for more than three hours or involves a pro se party requires a pre-trial conference. Mrs. Kasey Pate is the Judicial Administrative Support Assistant responsible for the civil domestic docket and should be contacted regarding settlements of civil domestic cases. Mrs. Pate can be reached at (804) 501-4710.
Page 2 | Civil Domestic Matters
Contact Mrs. Elsie Holmes by phone about setting civil law hearings and civil case settlements.
Mrs. Elsie Holmes is the Judicial Administrative Support Assistant responsible for setting hearings on civil law matters, i.e., demurrers, infant settlements, pleas, contesting wills, injunctions, etc. Protective Orders appealed from the General District Court take precedence on the docket. Protective Orders are set on the Friday seven days after the date the appeal is noted. Mrs. Holmes is in charge of the civil law docket and should be contacted regarding, settlements of civil cases, etc. Mrs. Holmes can be reached at (804) 501-4709.
Page 2 | Civil Law Motions
Kayla Lupton, the Court Administrator, is available to help with court matters if the Judicial Administrative Support person is unavailable.
COURT ADMINISTRATOR - Kayla Lupton (804) 501-4711. Kayla Lupton is the Court Administrator. Mrs. Lupton is responsible for administrative matters for the Circuit Court Judges. Mrs. Lupton is available to help with any and all matters, including criminal, civil and civil-domestic should the Judicial Administrative Support person be unavailable.
Page 3 | COURT ADMINISTRATOR