                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

JURISDICTION OF CIRCUIT COURTS (§ 17.1-513)

The circuit courts shall have jurisdiction of proceedings by quo warranto or
information in the nature of quo warranto and to issue writs of mandamus,
prohibition and certiorari to all inferior tribunals created or existing under
the laws of the Commonwealth, and to issue writs of mandamus in all matters of
proceedings arising from or pertaining to the action of the boards of
supervisors or other governing bodies of the several counties for which such
courts are respectively held or in other cases in which it may be necessary to
prevent the failure of justice and in which mandamus may issue according to the
principles of common law. They shall have appellate jurisdiction in all cases,
civil and criminal, in which an appeal may, as provided by law, be taken from
the judgment or proceedings of any inferior tribunal.
		They shall have original and general jurisdiction of all civil cases, except
cases upon claims to recover personal property or money not of greater value
than $100, exclusive of interest, and except such cases as are assigned to some
other tribunal; also in all cases for the recovery of fees in excess of $100;
penalties or cases involving the right to levy and collect toll or taxes or the
validity of an ordinance or bylaw of any corporation; and also, of all cases,
civil or criminal, in which an appeal may be had to the Court of Appeals.
		They shall have jurisdiction to hear motions filed for the purpose of
modifying, dissolving, or extending a protective order pursuant to § 16.1-279.1
or 19.2-152.10 if the circuit court issued such order, unless the circuit court
remanded the matter to the jurisdiction of the juvenile and domestic relations
district court in accordance with § 16.1-297. They shall also have original
jurisdiction of all indictments for felonies and of presentments, informations
and indictments for misdemeanors. They shall also have jurisdiction for bail
hearings pursuant to §§ 19.2-327.2:1 and 19.2-327.10:1.
		Upon certification by the district court of any felony charge and ancillary
misdemeanor charge or when an appeal of a conviction of an offense in district
court is noted, jurisdiction as to such charges shall vest in the circuit court,
unless such case is reopened pursuant to § 16.1-133.1; a final judgment, order,
or decree is modified, vacated, or suspended pursuant to Supreme Court of
Virginia Rule 1:1; or the appeal has been withdrawn in the district court within
10 days pursuant to § 16.1-133.
		They shall have appellate jurisdiction of all cases, civil and criminal, in
which an appeal, writ of error or supersedeas may, as provided by law, be taken
to or allowed by such courts, or the judges thereof, from or to the judgment or
proceedings of any inferior tribunal. They shall also have jurisdiction of all
other matters, civil and criminal, made cognizable therein by law and when a
motion to recover money is allowed in such tribunals, they may hear and
determine the same, although it is to recover less than $100.
		While a matter is pending in a circuit court, upon motion of the plaintiff
seeking to decrease the amount of the claim to within the exclusive or
concurrent jurisdiction of the general district court as described in
subdivision 1 of § 16.1-77, the circuit court shall order transfer of the
matter to the general district court that has jurisdiction over the amended
amount of the claim without requiring that the case first be dismissed or that
the plaintiff suffer a nonsuit, and the tolling of the applicable statutes of
limitations governing the pending matter shall be unaffected by the transfer.
Except for good cause shown, no such order of transfer shall issue unless the
motion to amend and transfer is made at least 10 days before trial. The
plaintiff shall pay filing and other fees as otherwise provided by law to the
clerk of the court to which the case is transferred, and such clerk shall
process the claim as if it were a new civil action. The plaintiff shall prepare
and present the order of transfer to the transferring court for entry, after
which time the case shall be removed from the pending docket of the transferring
court and the order of transfer placed among its records. The plaintiff shall
provide a certified copy of the transfer order to the receiving court.

HISTORY: Code 1919, § 5890, § 17-123; 1928, p. 1164; 1973, c. 544; 1977, c.
624; 1998, c. 872; 2005, c. 681; 2012, cc. 152, 261; 2015, c. 66; 2020, c. 903;
2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 187, 489.