VirginiaJudicial district and circuit courts; maximum number of judges.
What it does
Maximum number of judges in each judicial district and circuit; maximum number of judges on the Court of Appeals of Virginia; hearing en banc; study to examine organization and boundaries of certain judicial circuits; report. Increases from 17 to 21 the maximum number of authorized judges on the Court of Appeals of Virginia. The bill removes provisions that require the Court of Appeals to sit en banc in certain instances, making the decision of whether to sit en banc entirely discretionary.
More detail
The bill requires the Court of Appeals to sit en banc with no fewer than 13 judges, three of whom shall be the three judges to whom the case was originally assigned and the remaining 10 of whom shall be assigned pursuant to a randomized rotational schedule in accordance with the Rules of the Supreme Court of Virginia. Under the bill, such provisions relating to the Court of Appeals shall become effective on September 1, 2026.The bill also increases by one the maximum number of authorized general district court judges in the Twelfth and Twenty-sixth Judicial Districts. The bill also increases by one the maximum number of authorized juvenile and domestic relations district court judges in the Twelfth and Fifteenth Judicial Districts. The bill further increases by one the maximum number of authorized circuit court judges in the Twentieth and Twenty-seventh Judicial Circuits. Under the bill, the provisions relating to increasing the number of judges in the Fifteenth and Twentieth Judicial Circuits shall become effective on July 1, 2027.Finally, the bill directs the Judicial Council of Virginia to study the organization and boundaries of the Fifteenth and Twentieth Judicial Circuits and to submit an executive summary and a report of its findings and any recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly no later than November 30, 2026.As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Committee on District Courts and the Judicial Council of Virginia. This bill incorporates HB 46 and HB 194.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 13Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0615)Latest
- Apr 13Approved by Governor Abigail Spanberger-Chapter 615 (effective 7/1/2026)Became Law
- Mar 31Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026To Governor
- Mar 31Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026Minor
- Mar 31Signed by SpeakerMajor
- Mar 31Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB443)
- Mar 30Signed by PresidentMajor
- Mar 30Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB443ER)Major
- Mar 30EnrolledMinor
- Mar 25Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB443)
- Mar 14Conference report agreed to by Senate (22-Y 17-N 0-A)Minor
- Vote recorded H VOTE:. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Adopt Conference Committee Report R. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 14Conference report agreed to by House (91-Y 5-N 0-A)Minor
- Mar 14Conference Report released
- Mar 14Conference Report released
- Mar 11House Conferees: Hope, Maldonado, Ballard
- Mar 11Conferees appointed by House
- Mar 11House acceded to request
- Mar 11Senate Conferees: Perry, Deeds, Stuart
- Mar 11Conferees appointed by Senate
- Mar 10Senate requested conference committeeMinor
- Vote recorded Insist & Request R. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 10Senate insisted on substitute (40-Y 0-N 0-A)Major
- Mar 6Senate substitute rejected by House (1-Y 96-N 0-A)
- Vote recorded H VOTE:. Result: fail.Lower
- Mar 4Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Passage R. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 4Engrossed by Senate - committee substituteMajor
- Mar 4Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to
- Mar 4Read third timeMinor
- Mar 4Committee substitute printed 26109166D-S1Major
- Mar 3Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)
- Vote recorded Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading). Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 3Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
- Mar 3Rules suspended
- Mar 3Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (15-Y 0-N)Minor
- Feb 19Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB443)
- Feb 18Reported from Courts of Justice and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (13-Y 0-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported from Courts of Justice. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 11Referred to Committee for Courts of JusticeMinor
- Feb 11Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
- Feb 10Read third time and passed House (98-Y 0-N 0-A)Passed House
- Vote recorded H VOTE:. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 9Engrossed by House - committee substituteMajor
- Feb 9committee substitute agreed toMajor
- Feb 9Read second timeMinor
- Feb 6Read first timeMinor
- Feb 4Incorporates HB194 (McQuinn)
- Vote recorded Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 4Incorporates HB46 (Reid)
- Feb 4Committee substitute printed 26106991D-H1Major
- Feb 4Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (22-Y 0-N)Minor
- Feb 2Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations (10-Y 0-N)Major
- Vote recorded Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 2Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB443)
- Jan 30Assigned HCJ sub: CriminalMinor
- Jan 12Referred to Committee for Courts of JusticeMinor
- Jan 12Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102580DIntroduced