VirginiaJudicial district and circuit courts; maximum number of judges.
What it does
Maximum number of judges in each judicial district and circuit; study to examine organization and boundaries of certain judicial districts; report. 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.
More detail
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 have a delayed effective date of 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 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 SB 780.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 13Approved by Governor Abigail Spanberger-Chapter 880 (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 (SB158)
- Mar 30Signed by PresidentMajor
- Mar 30Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB158ER)Major
- Mar 30EnrolledMinor
- Mar 23Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB158)
- Mar 11Conference report agreed to by House (99-Y 0-N 0-A)Minor
- Vote recorded H VOTE:. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Adopt Conference Committee Report R. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 11Conference report agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A)Minor
- Mar 11Conference Report released
- Mar 11House Conferees: Hope, Maldonado, Ballard
- Mar 11Conferees appointed by House
- Mar 10Senate Conferees: Perry, Deeds, Stuart
- Vote recorded Accede Conference Committee R. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 10Conferees appointed by Senate
- Mar 10Senate acceded to request Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
- Mar 9House requested conference committeeMinor
- Mar 9House insisted on substituteMajor
- Mar 6House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 40-N 0-A)
- Vote recorded Concur House Substitute R. Result: fail.Upper
- Mar 4Passed House with substitute Block Vote (99-Y 0-N 0-A)Major
- Vote recorded H VOTE:. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded H VOTE:. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 4Reconsideration of passage agreed to by House
- Mar 4Passed House with substitute (97-Y 0-N 0-A)Passed House
- Mar 4Engrossed by House - committee substituteMajor
- Mar 4committee substitute agreed toMajor
- Mar 4Read third timeMinor
- Mar 3Read second timeMinor
- Mar 3Committee substitute printed 26108033D-H1Major
- Mar 2Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (22-Y 0-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 20Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB158)
- Feb 18Referred to Committee for Courts of JusticeMinor
- Feb 18Read first timeMinor
- Feb 18Placed on Calendar
- Feb 13Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (38-Y 0-N 0-A)Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Constitutional reading dispensed (on 3rd reading). Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded Passage R. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 13Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) (38-Y 0-N 0-A)
- Feb 13Rules suspended
- Feb 13Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute Block Vote (Voice Vote)Major
- Feb 13Committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote)Major
- Feb 13Read second timeMinor
- Feb 12Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)
- Vote recorded Constitutional reading dispensed R. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 12Rules suspended
- Feb 12Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
- Feb 11Reported from Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported from Finance and Appropriations. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 3Incorporates SB780 (Obenshain)
- Jan 30Committee substitute printed 26105622D-S1Major
- Jan 28Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute. Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 28Senate committee offered
- Jan 23Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB158)
- Jan 7Referred to Committee for Courts of JusticeMinor
- Jan 7Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100733DIntroduced