General District Court Manual - Table of Contents

1 General District Court Manual . Table OF Contents PAGE i CHAPTER 1 - JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION .. 1-1. I. VIRGINIA'S JUDICIAL SYSTEM .. 1-1. II. SUPREME Court OF VIRGINIA .. 1-1. III. Court OF APPEALS .. 1-1. IV. OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY .. 1-2. A. Assistant Executive Secretary and Counsel .. 1-2. B. Court Improvement Program .. 1-2. C. Educational Services .. 1-2. D. Fiscal Services .. 1-3. E. Human Resources .. 1-3. F. Judicial Information Technology .. 1-3. G. Judicial Planning .. 1-3. H. Judicial 1-3. I. Legal Research .. 1-5. J. Legislative and Public Relations .. 1-5. V. VIRGINIA COURTS .. 1-5. A. Circuit Courts .. 1-5. B. District Courts.

2 1-5. VI. District COURTS .. 1-6. A. Judicial 1-6. B. Judges .. 1-7. C. Clerk's 1-10. D. Duties of clerk .. 1-10. E. Court Closed Computation of Time .. 1-11. F. Inclement Weather .. 1-11. G. Judicial Emergency .. 1-12. H. Office Policies 1-13. I. Separation of Employees Checklist .. 1-13. J. Volunteers .. 1-13. VII. PRO HAC VICE .. 1-13. VIII. PUBLIC RECORDS .. 1-16. A. Transparency .. 1-16. B. Copies .. 1-16. IX. STRATEGIC PLANNING .. 1-16. Office of the Executive Secretary Department of Judicial Services Rev: 7/17. General District Court Manual . Table OF Contents PAGE ii CHAPTER 2 - THE Court PROCESS .. 2-1. I. CASE INITIATION .. 2-1. II. PRE-TRIAL PROCESS.

3 2-1. A. Case 2-1. B. File Cases .. 2-2. C. Prepare Daily Docket Sheets .. 2-2. III. CASE HEARING, JUDGMENT .. 2-4. IV. DISMISSALS OR CONTINUANCES .. 2-4. V. POST-TRIAL PROCESSES .. 2-6. VI. EXECUTION OF JUDGMENTS OR ENFORCEMENT OF VERDICTS .. 2-6. VII. CASE CLOSING .. 2-7. CHAPTER 3 - CRIMINAL CASE PROCEDURES .. 3-1. I. INTRODUCTION .. 3-1. II. NARRATIVE 3-2. A. Pre- Court Procedures Flow Chart .. 3-6. B. Post- Court Procedures Flow Chart .. 3-7. III. CASE INITIATION .. 3-8. A. Court -Initiated Capias/Warrant .. 3-8. B. Unexecuted Warrants (Magistrate Issued) .. 3-9. C. Venue .. 3-10. D. Arrest Prior To The Filing Of A Complaint .. 3-11. E. Pre-Arrest Issuance of A Summons Or 3-11.

4 F. Arrest of An Illegal Alien .. 3-12. G. Release on Bail .. 3-12. H. Commitment to Jail .. 3-25. I. Search Warrants .. 3-26. J. Request for Victim Confidentiality .. 3-29. K. Peace Bonds .. 3-31. IV. INDIVIDUAL REQUEST FOR ACCESS TO SEALED DOCUMENT .. 3-31. Office of the Executive Secretary Department of Judicial Services Rev: 7/17. General District Court Manual . Table OF Contents PAGE iii V. CASE PRE-TRIAL PROCEDURES .. 3-32. A. Case Indexing and Filing .. 3-32. B. Docket 3-32. C. Prepayment Processing .. 3-32. D. Advisement of Right to Counsel/Review of Bail Determination .. 3-33. E. Arraignment .. 3-36. F. Crossover Arraignments .. 3-36. G. Preliminary Hearings.

5 3-38. H. Certification of Ancillary Misdemeanors .. 3-39. I. Subpoenas, Witness Summoning .. 3-39. J. Subpoena duces tecum .. 3-41. K. Subpoena Duces Tecum for Medical Records .. 3-41. L. Subpoena Duces Tecum For Financial 3-41. M. Extradition 3-42. N. Request for a Reduction or Change of Bail .. 3-42. O. Mental Condition of Defendant .. 3-43. P. Interpreters for Deaf And Non-English Speaking Persons .. 3-51. Q. Certificate of Analysis .. 3-52. R. Admissibility of Affidavits .. 3-55. S. Notice, Motion and Order for Chemical Analysis of Alleged Plant Material .. 3-56. T. Possession or distribution of marijuana for medical 3-56. U. Custody of Evidence.

6 3-56. V. Recall of Process .. 3-57. W. Photographing and Broadcasting Judicial Proceedings .. 3-57. X. Transfer Of Jurisdiction .. 3-57. Y. Confidentiality of Local Community-Based Probation Agency Reports .. 3-58. Z. Transport of Incarcerated Defendant .. 3-59. VI. CASE TRIAL PROCEDURES .. 3-59. A. Adjudicatory 3-59. B. Failure to Appear and Bond Forfeiture .. 3-60. C. Trial Provisions .. 3-62. D. Pre-Conviction Probation for First-Time Offenders .. 3-63. E. Accord and Satisfaction .. 3-64. F. Sentencing .. 3-64. G. Substance Abuse Screening, Assessment And Treatment .. 3-66. H. Restitution .. 3-67. I. 3-69. J. Cash Bond Used to Pay Fines and Costs.

7 3-70. K. Central Criminal Records Exchange (CCRE) Procedures .. 3-70. L. Not Guilty By Reason Of Insanity (NGRI) .. 3-75. M. Inpatient Psychiatric Hospital Admission from Local Correctional Facility .. 3-77. Office of the Executive Secretary Department of Judicial Services Rev: 7/17. General District Court Manual . Table OF Contents PAGE iv N. Revocation of Driver's License .. 3-80. O. Revocation of Other Licenses And Permits .. 3-81. P. Constitutionality of Statues .. 3-82. VII. TRIAL PROCEDURES FOR MISDEMEANOR DRUG 3-82. A. Pre-Conviction Probation For First-Time Offenders Drug Charges .. 3-82. B. Convictions on Drug 3-83. C. Deferred Disposition.

8 3-83. D. Conviction .. 3-86. VIII. CASE PAYMENT PROCEDURES .. 3-88. A. Payment within Thirty Days of Sentencing .. 3-89. B. Deferred, Modified Deferred or Installment Payment .. 3-89. C. Nondisclosure .. 3-90. D. Bankruptcy .. 3-90. IX. CASE POST-TRIAL 3-90. A. Failure to Pay Fines and Costs .. 3-90. B. Failure to Comply With Terms of Probation or Suspended Sentence .. 3-92. C. Notices to 3-93. D. Appeals .. 3-94. E. Motion to Rehear .. 3-94. F. Testing For HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) or Hepatitis B Or C .. 3-95. G. DNA Samples Taken at Arrest and Upon Conviction .. 3-95. H. Administrative Procedures .. 3-96. I. Records 3-98. J. Disposition of Property.

9 3-98. X. MISCELLANEOUS CASE TYPES .. 3-100. A. Animal Violations .. 3-100. B. Summary Contempt .. 3-106. C. Underage Purchase/Possession of Alcohol .. 3-107. D. Purchase Alcohol for Underage .. 3-109. E. Underage Purchase/Possession Of Tobacco .. 3-111. F. Virginia Indoor Clean Air Act .. 3-112. CHAPTER 4 - TRAFFIC CASE 4-1. I. INTRODUCTION .. 4-1. II. NARRATIVE 4-1. III. TRAFFIC CASE PROCESS FLOW CHART .. 4-3. Office of the Executive Secretary Department of Judicial Services Rev: 7/17. General District Court Manual . Table OF Contents PAGE v IV. PRE-TRIAL PROCESSING .. 4-4. A. General Provisions .. 4-4. B. Prepayable Offenses That Involve an Accident.

10 4-4. C. Dismissal by Compliance with Law Prior To Trial .. 4-6. D. Administrative Impoundment of a Motor Vehicle When Charged With Second/Subsequent Offense of .. 4-7. V. PREPAYMENT OF FINES AND Court COSTS .. 4-9. A. In Person or By Telephone .. 4-10. B. By Mail .. 4-12. C. By VIPNET .. 4-13. D. Overweight 4-13. E. Bond Return 4-13. F. Withdrawal of Guilty Plea .. 4-14. G. Case Disposition .. 4-15. H. Bankruptcy .. 4-15. VI. TRIAL PROCEDURES .. 4-15. A. Trial in Defendant's Absence .. 4-16. B. Commercial Motor Vehicles Violations .. 4-17. C. Order to Complete Traffic School, Driver Improvement Clinic, or Mature Driver Motor Vehicle Crash Prevention Course.