Senate votes to add judges to many courts

A bill to add additional judges to the 20th and 27th circuit courts has passed the Virginia State Senate and is awaiting review in the House Courts of Justice Committee.

Senate Bill 158, patroned by Sen. Russet Perry, D-Leesburg, passed the Senate unanimously on Feb. 13. In addition to the circuit court increases, the bill authorizes the increase of the 12th and 15th juvenile and domestic relations district courts and the 12th and 26th general district courts by one judge each.

The bill was a recommendation of the Committee on District Courts and the Judicial Council of Virginia.

If passed, the 20th Circuit Court would grow to six judges, while the 27th would increase to seven. The 15th Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court, already the largest J&DR court in Virginia, would increase to 10 judges, while the 12th Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court would grow to seven judges.

The 12th and 26th general district courts would both grow to seat six judges.

The bill cleared the Senate Courts of Justice Committee on Jan. 28 unanimously and was referred to the Senate Finance and Appropriations committee. Perry’s original bill included just the increase to the 20th Circuit Court but was amended to accommodate all the judge requests made by other legislators.

On Feb. 11, the bill passed the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee unanimously.

During its legislative review, SB 158 received few comments and debate, with the new judgeships having been certified by the Committee on District Courts and the Judicial Council of Virginia.

“This is usually a pretty routine bill,” Sen. Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, chair of the Senate Courts of Justice Committee, said at the Jan. 28 hearing.