Concluded: Judicial Boundary Realignment Study

During the 2011 General Assembly Session, two bills were introduced that would have reduced the existing 31 judicial circuits and 32 judicial districts to 19 judicial circuits and 19 judicial districts, and would have reduced the total number of circuit and district judges authorized pursuant to the Code of Virginia from 402 to 382. These bills, House Bill 1990 and Senate Bill 1240, were left in the Senate Courts of Justice Committee.

At the conclusion of the 2011 General Assembly Session, the Honorable Henry L. Marsh, III, Chair of the Senate Courts of Justice Committee, wrote a letter requesting the Supreme Court of Virginia to review the judicial circuits and districts proposed by House Bill 1990 and Senate Bill 1240, and to provide its recommendations for changes to the judicial boundary lines, including the number of judges designated to serve in each judicial circuit and district.

In response to Senator Marsh’s letter, Chief Justice Cynthia D. Kinser formed a Study Committee to provide recommendations to the Supreme Court. The final Study Committee meeting was held, and recommendations were adopted on August 26, 2011.

The Supreme Court submitted its Judicial Boundary Realignment Study Report, including the Court's recommendations, to the Senate Courts of Justice Committee, on November 1, 2011.