                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

VACANCIES IN OFFICE OF JUDGES; TERMS OF SUCCESSOR JUDGES; APPOINTMENT WHILE
GENERAL ASSEMBLY NOT IN SESSION (§ 16.1-69.9:2)

Whenever a vacancy occurs in the office of a full-time district court judge the
successor shall be elected for a full term of six years and upon qualification
shall enter at once upon the discharge of the duties of his office. But subject
to the provisions of § 16.1-69.9:3, the judges of the circuit having
jurisdiction over the district shall have the power while the General Assembly
is not in session to fill pro tempore vacancies in the office of full-time
district court judges. No person shall be appointed under this section until he
has submitted his fingerprints to be used for the conduct of a national criminal
history record search and a Virginia criminal history record search, submitted
to a search of the central registry maintained pursuant to § 63.2-1515 for any
founded complaint of child abuse or neglect, and provided a written statement of
economic interests on the disclosure form prescribed in § 2.2-3117. No person
with a criminal conviction for a felony shall be appointed as a pro tempore
judge. Appointment to every such vacancy shall be by commission to expire at the
end of thirty days after the commencement of the next session of the General
Assembly.

HISTORY: 1973, c. 546; 1980, c. 194; 2001, c. 256; 2024, c. 723.