Virginia court office would provide annual training on abuse cases

The Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia would provide legal training on practices that account for trauma. Training would cover proceedings involving sexual abuse or abuse of a family or household member. It would serve magistrates, clerks, judges in juvenile domestic relations district courts, general district courts, and circuit courts, and other court employees. The office’s Department of Educational Services would choose the lessons. Training would have to cover victim impact testimony, which describes how an offense affected a victim. The office would provide training every year. No starting date is stated.