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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>80456</law_id><section_number>16.1-69.8</section_number><catch_line>Existing courts continued and redesignated; exception</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="16.1">Courts Not of Record</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="4.1">District Courts</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="2">Districts; District Courts and Judges</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>The present system of <span class="dictionary">courts</span> not of record is continued as follows on and after July 1, 1973:</p></section>
						<section id="a"><p><span class="prefix-number">a.</span> The county <span class="dictionary">court</span> in each county shall continue as the general district <span class="dictionary">court</span> of such county with the same powers and with territorial <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> over such county and over any city within the county for which a municipal <span class="dictionary">court</span> with general civil or criminal <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> or separate general district <span class="dictionary">court</span> has not been established. <a id="paragraph-288206" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/16.1-69.8/#a"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="b"><p><span class="prefix-number">b.</span> The municipal <span class="dictionary">court</span> or <span class="dictionary">courts</span> in each city, excluding juvenile and domestic relations <span class="dictionary">courts</span>, shall continue as the general district <span class="dictionary">court</span> of the city with the same powers and territorial <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> over such city; provided that in the case of more than one such municipal <span class="dictionary">court</span> in operation in any city, all such <span class="dictionary">courts</span> shall be merged on July 1, 1973, and their powers and territorial <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> merged in the general district <span class="dictionary">court</span>. <a id="paragraph-288207" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/16.1-69.8/#b"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="c"><p><span class="prefix-number">c.</span> The juvenile and domestic relations <span class="dictionary">court</span> of each county and city shall continue as the juvenile and domestic relations district <span class="dictionary">court</span> of the county or city with the same powers and territorial <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> as heretofore provided. <a id="paragraph-288208" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/16.1-69.8/#c"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="d"><p><span class="prefix-number">d.</span> The municipal <span class="dictionary">court</span> of any town and/or other <span class="dictionary">court</span> of any town having general civil and criminal <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> however called shall be abolished and all <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> and power conferred upon any such <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall pass to and be exercised by the district <span class="dictionary">courts</span> having <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> over the county wherein the town is located. <a id="paragraph-288209" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/16.1-69.8/#d"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1972, c. 708; 1973, c. 546; 2018, c. 164.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
