                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES OF CHIEF DISTRICT JUDGE (§ 16.1-69.35)

The chief judge of each district shall have the following administrative duties
and authority with respect to his district:

1. When any district court judge is under any disability or for any other cause
is unable to hold court and the chief judge determines that assistance is
needed:
			a. The chief district judge shall designate a judge within the district or a
judge of another district court within the Commonwealth, if one is reasonably
available, to hear and dispose of any action or actions properly coming before
such district court for disposition;
			b. If unable to designate a judge as provided in subdivision 1 a, the chief
district judge may designate a retired district judge eligible for recall
pursuant to &#xA7; 16.1-69.22:1 for such hearing and disposition if such judge
consents; or
			c. If unable to assign a retired district court judge, the chief district
judge may designate a retired circuit court judge eligible for recall pursuant
to &#xA7; 17.1-106 if such judge consents or the chief district judge may
request that the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court designate a circuit judge if
such judge consents.
			If no judges are available under subdivision a, b or c, then a substitute
judge shall be designated pursuant to &#xA7; 16.1-69.21.
			While acting, any judge so designated shall have all the authority and power
of the judge of the court, and his order or judgment shall, to all intents and
purposes, be the judgment of the court. A general district court judge
designated pursuant to subdivision 1 a, may, with his consent, substitute for or
replace a juvenile and domestic relations district court judge, and vice versa.
The names of the judges designated under subdivisions b and c shall be selected
from a list provided by the Executive Secretary and approved by the Chief
Justice of the Supreme Court.

2. The chief general district court judge of a district may designate any
juvenile and domestic relations district court judge of the district, with the
judge&#8217;s consent, for an individual case or to sit and hear cases for a
period of not more than one year, in any of the general district courts within
the district. The chief juvenile and domestic relations district court judge of
a district may designate any general district court judge of the district, with
the judge&#8217;s consent, for an individual case or to sit and hear cases for a
period of not more than one year, in any of the juvenile and domestic relations
district courts within the district. Every judge so designated shall have the
same powers and jurisdiction and be authorized to perform the same duties as any
judge of the district for which he is designated to assist, and, while so
acting, his order or judgment shall be, for all purposes, the judgment of the
court to which he is assigned.

3. If on account of congestion in the work of any district court or when in his
opinion the administration of justice so requires, the Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court may, upon his own initiative or upon written application of the
chief district court judge desiring assistance, designate a judge from another
district or any circuit court judge, if such circuit court judge consents, or a
retired judge eligible for recall, to provide judicial assistance to such
district. Every judge so designated shall have the same powers and jurisdiction
and be authorized to perform the same duties as any judge of the district for
which he is designated to assist and while so acting his order or judgment shall
be, to all intents and purposes, the judgment of the court to which he is
assigned.

4. Subject to such rules as may be established pursuant to &#xA7; 16.1-69.32,
the chief judge may establish special divisions of any general district court
when the work of the court may be more efficiently handled thereby such as
through the establishment of special civil, criminal or traffic divisions, and
he may assign the judges of the general district court with respect to serving
such special divisions. In the City of Richmond the general district court
shall, in addition to any specialized divisions, maintain a separate division of
such court in that part of Richmond south of the James River with concurrent
jurisdiction over all matters arising in the City of Richmond.

5. Subject to such rules as may be established pursuant to &#xA7; 16.1-69.32,
the chief judge shall determine when the district courts or divisions of such
courts shall be open for the transaction of business. The chief judge or
presiding judge of any district court may authorize the clerk&#8217;s office to
close on any date when the chief judge or presiding judge determines that
operation of the clerk&#8217;s office, under prevailing conditions, would
constitute a threat to the health or safety of the clerk&#8217;s office
personnel or the general public. Closing of the clerk&#8217;s office pursuant to
this subsection shall have the same effect as provided in subsection B of &#xA7;
1-210. In determining whether to close because of a threat to the health or
safety of the general public, the chief judge or the presiding judge of the
district court shall coordinate with the chief judge or presiding judge of the
circuit court so that, where possible and appropriate, both the circuit and
district courts take the same action. He shall determine the times each such
court shall be held for the trial of civil, criminal or traffic matters and
cases. He shall determine whether, in the case of district courts in counties,
court shall be held at any place or places in addition to the county seat or
other place expressly authorized by statute. He shall determine the office hours
and arrange a vacation schedule of the judges within his district, in order to
ensure the availability of a judge or judges to the public at normal times of
business. A schedule of the times and places at which court is held shall be
filed with the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court and kept posted at the
courthouse, and in any county also at any such other place or places where court
may be held, and the clerk shall make such schedules available to the public
upon request. Any matter may, in the discretion of the judge, or by direction of
the chief district judge, be removed from any one of such designated places to
another, or to or from the county seat or other place expressly authorized by
statute, in order to serve the convenience of the parties or to expedite the
administration of justice; however, any town having a population of over 15,000
as of July 1, 1972, having court facilities and a court with both general
criminal and civil jurisdiction prior to July 1, 1972, shall be designated by
the chief judge as a place to hold court.

6. Subject to the provisions of &#xA7; 16.1-69.38, the chief judge of a general
district court or the chief judge of a juvenile and domestic relations district
court may establish a voluntary civil mediation program for the alternate
resolution of disputes. The costs of the program shall be paid by the local
governing bodies within the district or by the parties who voluntarily
participate in the program.

HISTORY: 1972, c. 708; 1973, c. 546; 1976, cc. 307, 444; 1978, c. 200; 1984, c.
570; 1987, c. 703; 1989, c. 264; 1991, cc. 177, 392; 1992, c. 387; 1995, c. 57;
2001, c. 494; 2003, c. 102; 2005, cc. 207, 839; 2006, c. 144; 2014, c. 776;
2017, cc. 37, 225; 2019, cc. 240, 321, 526.