The Judiciary of Virginia is defined under the Constitution and law of Virginia and is composed of :

• the Supreme Court of Virginia
• the Court of Appeals
• the Circuit Courts,
• the General District Courts.

Its administration is headed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Judicial Council, the Committee on District Courts, the Judicial Conferences, the Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission, and various other offices and officers. There are four agencies within the Judicial Branch:

• Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission (JIRC)
• Virginia Board of Bar Examiners (VBBE)
• Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission (VCSC)
• Virginia State Bar (VSB)

Although the Supreme Court of Virginia possesses both original and appellate jurisdiction, its primary function is to review decisions of lower courts. Virginia does not allow an appeal to the Supreme Court as a matter of right except in cases involving the State Corporation Commission, the disbarment of an attorney, and review of the death penalty.

The Court’s original jurisdiction is limited to cases of habeas corpus (ordering one holding custody to produce the detained person before the Court for the purpose of determining whether such custody is proper), mandamus (ordering the holder of an office to perform his duty), prohibition (ordering a public official to stop an action), and actual innocence (based on biological testing) . The Supreme Court also has original jurisdiction in matters filed by the Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission relating to judicial censure and retirement, and removal of judges.

There are four agencies within the Judicial Branch:

• Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission (JIRC)
• Virginia Board of Bar Examiners (VBBE)
• Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission (VCSC)
• Virginia State Bar (VSB)

The JIRC investigates complaints of judicial misconduct or serious mental or physical disability of a justice or judge.
The VBBE ascertains the qualifications of applicants for admission to the Bar of Virginia and licenses those applicants.
The VSB regulates the legal profession of Virginia, advances the availability and quality of legal services provided to the people of Virginia, and assists in improving the legal profession and the judicial system. is charged with developing, maintaining and modifying a system of discretionary sentencing guidelines to assist the judiciary in the imposition of sentences.

The Office of the Attorney General is the Commonwealth’s law firm. In addition to representing the interests of the people of Virginia, our clients are Virginia state government and the state agencies, boards and commissions that compose it.

The Office of the Attorney General includes a chief deputy attorney general, four deputy attorneys general who oversee 21 specialized sections of the law, and other employees including assistant attorneys general, additional lawyers appointed as counsel to particular agencies or universities, legal assistants, legal secretaries and other professional support staff.

One thing the Attorney General and the other attorneys on our staff cannot do is give legal advice to private citizens. If you have a private dispute, this Office cannot intervene. To find more information regarding finding an attorney for a private legal matter, please click here.