Richmond City Circuit Court, Virginia Chambers Communication Rules

CRITICAL

If the opposing self-represented parties' email addresses are unknown and absent from the information sheet, the scheduling litigant must obtain their available dates before contacting the judicial assistant.

If the other party or parties are also not represented by counsel and the pro se litigant does not know their email address and their email address was not included on the Pro Se Litigant Information Sheet, the litigant seeking to schedule the trial or hearing shall contact the opposing party or parties and get their available dates prior to communicating with the judicial assistant about scheduling.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Schedule matters involving self-represented parties by emailing the Presiding Judge's judicial assistant and copying all parties.

Any matters involving parties representing themselves are scheduled by emailing the Judicial Assistant for the Presiding Judge, copying all parties to the case on the email.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Schedule hearings expected to last less than two hours by emailing the Presiding Judge's judicial assistant and copying all parties.

Hearings expected to be shorter than two hours are scheduled by emailing the Judicial Assistant for the Presiding Judge, copying all parties to the case on the email.

CRITICAL

When scheduling a trial or hearing, parties must give a realistic time estimate that accounts for openings, evidence, cross-examination, rebuttal, and argument, including motions commonly heard that day.

When scheduling either a trial or hearing date, you must provide a realistic estimate of the amount of time required on the docket to complete the matter. When calculating the realistic estimate of the amount of time required, please count the amount of time necessary for any opening statements of all parties, the taking of any necessary evidence from each party, the time needed for any cross- examination, the time required for any rebuttal evidence, and the time required for all parties to present argument on the issues, including any motions to strike or other mid-trial and post-trial motions generally heard on the date of trial.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Self-represented parties must schedule trials and hearings of any length by emailing the assigned judge's judicial assistant and copying all parties.

Parties who are representing themselves (proceeding pro se) schedule all trials and hearings regardless of length by emailing the judicial assistant for the judge assigned to the case, copying all parties to the case on the email.

CRITICAL

Litigants and attorneys must file through the clerk’s office; direct communications about case matters are not accepted unless made as a written clerk’s-office filing with proper notice to all parties, and filings sent through chambers or law clerks will be returned.

Litigants and attorneys must perfect all filings through the clerk’s office. The Court does not accept motions, pleadings, information, or requests made outside of a court proceeding related to cases via direct communication with the Court by any means including telephone call, email, or letter. These will only be considered if a written filing is made with the clerk’s office and proper notice is given to all parties. Any attempts at filing documents through chambers or the law clerks will be returned to sender with a cover letter. This may result in delays in your case.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Emailing court staff about substantive matters, to argue a position, or to seek legal advice is prohibited.

Emailing court staff on substantive matters, arguing your position on any matter, or seeking legal advice from court staff is strictly prohibited.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to clerk

For represented parties, schedule trials and hearings expected to last more than two hours by emailing both named clerk's-office contacts and copying all parties.

Trials where the parties are represented by counsel are scheduled with the clerk’s office by emailing Stephanie Stutz at stephanie.stutz@rva.gov and Shelton Johnson at shelton.johnson@rva.gov and including all parties on their email communications. Hearings expected to last longer than two hours where the parties are represented by counsel are scheduled with the clerk’s office by emailing Stephanie Stutz at stephanie.stutz@rva.gov and Shelton Johnson at shelton.johnson@rva.gov and including all parties on their email communications.

CRITICAL

When scheduling a trial, the party must tell the clerk or judicial assistant whether it will be a bench or jury trial.

When scheduling a trial date, you must let the clerk or judicial assistant know if it is being scheduled for a bench trial or a jury trial.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

For an emergency continuance request, email the assigned judge’s Judicial Assistant and Law Clerk, copy all parties, and call the Clerk’s Office.

If an emergency arises: 1) email the Judicial Assistant and Law Clerk for the assigned judge, copying all parties, and 2) call the Clerk’s Office.

WARNINGCriminal casesCourt notice

Contact

Phone to clerk

Phone

(804)646-6553

Applicants must call the Clerk’s Office within 5–7 days after filing Form DC-211 to ask about the request’s status.

contacting the Clerk’s Office at (804)646-6553 within 5 - 7 days of filing Form DC-211 regarding the status of the request

WARNINGCriminal casesCourt notice

Contact

Phone to clerk

Phone

(804) 646-6553

A community-service-credit applicant must call the Clerk’s Office within 5–7 days to follow up on the request’s status.

following up regarding the status of their request within 5 - 7 days by calling the Clerk’s Office at (804) 646-6553.

WARNING

Contact

Email to clerk

Use the listed email address only for general inquiries; do not use email for case-related legal matters or to contact judges, and inappropriate emails will not be answered or forwarded.

E-mail correspondence is restricted to general inquiries only and is not intended for any legal matter pertaining to cases filed in Richmond Circuit Court nor is it intended for communication with any judges. Inappropriate e-mail will not be answered or forwarded. • General Inquiries: circuitcourtclerkinformation@rva.gov

WARNING

Contact

Email

Parties seeking advance technology setup or a courtroom viewing should email Virginia Bray and copy all parties; the same email procedure applies when devices are not accompanied by a licensed attorney, and short-notice requests might not be accommodated.

If any party wants to set up technology in advance of a scheduled trial or hearing, they should email the Court Administrator & Staff Attorney, Virginia Bray, copying all parties. The requesting party should fill in the Technology Reservation Request Form. These provisions also apply to requests for viewing the courtroom in advance to determine what technology might be needed and/or accommodated in the space. Pursuant to a Standing Order of this Court, non-attorneys are generally not permitted to bring electronic devices into the courthouse. If your technological devices will not be accompanied by a licensed attorney, please email as outlined above. Any requests made upon short notice might not be accommodated.

WARNING

Contact

Email

Communications with civil law clerks should be sent by email with all parties copied.

Law Clerks (civil) (Please communicate via email copying all parties):

WARNING

Contact

Email

Communications with judicial assistants should be sent by email with all parties copied.

Judicial Assistants (Please communicate via email copying all parties):

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Criminal trials and hearings are usually scheduled before Docket Call by emailing the Presiding Judge’s Judicial Assistant and copying all parties; if the defense does not provide dates and appear at Docket Call, the Court may use only the Commonwealth’s dates, and it may require on-record scheduling for serious felonies or in its discretion.

Trials and hearings on criminal cases are usually pre-scheduled prior to Docket Call by emailing the Judicial Assistant for the Presiding Judge, copying all parties to the case on the email. The cases are then set for trial and motions hearing (if a motions hearing is known to be needed at the time of Docket Call) by Order at Docket Call. If the defense fails to provide dates in the emails with the Judicial Assistant and fails to appear to set the matter at Docket Call, the Court will select a date for trial using only the Commonwealth’s available dates. For more serious felonies, or in its discretion, the Court may require the parties to schedule the matter for trial at a proceeding on the record.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

When emailing court staff, parties should be copied on the communication.

When communicating via email with court staff, please copy all parties on the communication to avoid the appearance of any ex parte communications.

WARNING

Contact

Email

Communications with the Staff Attorney/Court Administrator should be sent by email with all parties copied.

Staff Attorney/Court Administrator (Please communicate via email copying all parties):

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

For a hearing in a criminal case previously set for trial, the motion generally should be filed before scheduling; bond hearings may be scheduled before filing, and after filing the movant should email the assigned judge’s Judicial Assistant and copy all parties to docket the hearing.

If a need arises for a hearing on a criminal case previously set for trial, these hearings are generally set after the motion has been filed. The Court may make an exception for scheduling bond hearings before they have been filed, however other motions should be filed with the clerk’s office prior to any attempts to schedule a hearing. This allows the parties an opportunity to review the motion to determine the need for evidence or witnesses prior to scheduling the matter as these considerations may influence the amount of time allotted for the hearing. Once the motion has been filed, the movant should initiate the process of docketing the matter for hearing by emailing the judicial assistant for the judge assigned to the case, copying all parties to the case on the email.

INFO

Contact

Email

Email the listed address to request information about the secure remote access subscription service.

Please email [email protected] if you would like more information regarding this subscription service.

INFO

Contact

Email to chambers

Court staff email addresses may be used for scheduling, non-substantive administrative matters, and courtesy copies of pleadings and briefs already filed with the clerk.

The email addresses of court staff are provided for the purposes of scheduling, addressing other non- substantive administrative matters, and providing a courtesy copy of pleadings and briefs that have already been filed with the Clerk of Court.

INFO

Contact

Phone to chambers

Call the assigned judge’s office at least two days in advance to reserve courtroom equipment.

To reserve the equipment, please call the office of the judge assigned to the case at least two days in advance.