Petersburg Circuit Court, Virginia Chambers Communication Rules

CRITICAL

All scheduling questions must be directed to the Court Administrator; the Clerk is not authorized to schedule or continue cases.

All scheduling questions must be directed to the Court Administrator since the Clerk does not have the Court's permission to schedule or continue cases.

CRITICAL

A required pretrial conference must be scheduled with the Court Administrator.

When a pretrial conference is required, it shall be scheduled with the Court Administrator no less than Thirty (30) days prior to trial.

CRITICAL

Defense counsel must contact the Clerk for an interpreter as early as possible and no later than 10 business days before trial or hearing, providing the defendant’s name, court date, and language or dialect.

It is the responsibility of the defense attorney who becomes aware that his or her client or witness does not speak English or is hearing impaired to contact the Clerk to request an interpreter. The request should be made at the earliest possible opportunity, but no later than 10 business days before the trial or hearing. The Clerk must be advised of defendant's name, the court date, and the language (and dialect, if necessary) of the non-English speaking defendant/witness.

CRITICAL

Defense counsel or a self-represented defendant must notify the Court at Term Day of a jury-trial request or the jury trial will be deemed waived.

Defense counsel or the defendant acting pro se must notify the Court at the Term Day that trial by jury is requested; otherwise, the Court will deem trial by jury is waived.

CRITICAL

Plaintiffs seeking service by a Virginia Sheriff must provide complete information to the clerk.

Plaintiffs seeking service by a Virginia Sheriff must provide complete information to the clerk.

CRITICAL

The petitioner must contact the Court Administrator to schedule the show-cause hearing so its date and time can be included in the Order to Show Cause.

The petitioner shall contact the Court Administrator to schedule a hearing date on the show cause in order to include the date and time in the Order to Show Cause.

WARNING

Attorneys may move for referral to a judicial settlement conference; if the motion is granted, the lawyers must select a judge from the approved online list and contact that judge to schedule the hearing.

With this understanding, the attorneys may file a Motion asking the Court to refer a case to JSC. If granted, the lawyers shall select the JSC Judge they want from the approved list found online and contact the Judge who will schedule it for hearing.

WARNING

Phone

(804) 733-2423

Civil cases and hearings may be scheduled through the Court Administrator by phone or email, or on term days in matured cases.

Civil cases, hearings in civil cases, set through the Court Administrator (804) 733-2423 or [email protected], or on term days in matured cases.

WARNING

Plaintiffs who will use private process service or service by publication should communicate that method to the clerk.

Plaintiffs who will use private process service or service by publication should communicate that method to the clerk.

WARNING

The defendant must give the Court Clerk and, if assigned supervision, the Pretrial Supervisor written notice of any change in residence or telephone number.

The defendant shall provide notice in writing of change in residence or telephone number to the Court Clerk and Pretrial Supervisor, if assigned supervision.

INFO

Contact

Email

After a responsive pleading or proper papers in a District Court appeal are filed, counsel for all parties are encouraged to email the Court Administrator to preset the case for trial.

Upon the filing of a responsive pleading to a complaint or the proper papers in a case appealed from a District Court, counsel for all parties are encouraged to contact the Court Administrator, 11circuit@vacourts.gov to preset the case for trial.

INFO

Counsel of record may schedule a hearing on a written motion by contacting the Court Administrator.

Counsel of record may schedule hearings on written motions by contacting the Court Administrator.

INFO

Contact

Email

Parties may email the Court Administrator to schedule a trial date before docket call.

You may contact the 11th Judicial Circuit Court Administrator to schedule the trial date prior to the docket call at 11circuit@vacourts.gov.

INFO

Contact

Email

Parties seeking a trial of one day or less are invited to email the Court Administrator to schedule it before Term Day.

The Court invites parties seeking a trial lasting one day or less to contact the Court Administrator at 11circuit@vacourts.gov to schedule the trial in advance of the Term Day.