Legislative and Public Relations

The Department of Legislative and Public Relations manages legislative matters, and handles media and public relations for Virginia’s Judicial System. The Department provides staff support for the development of legislative proposals recommended by the Judicial Conferences of Virginia, and represents Virginia’s Judicial System on legislative matters before the General Assembly. The Department presents information to legislators about the impact of bills on Virginia’s Judicial System, and prepares and disseminates to the court system an annual summary of court-related legislation.

The Department is responsible for responding to inquiries from the press and the general public, including requests for records and information. Additional responsibilities include managing the content of Virginia’s Judicial System website, and reviewing and updating court informational pamphlets.

Public access to records of the Virginia Judiciary, including records of judicial officers, is governed by Part Eleven of the Rules of Supreme Court of Virginia. As provided in the Rules, Part Eleven applies “to records of judicial officers and administrative records.” Part Eleven “does not apply to case records, including the records maintained by the clerks of the courts of record, as defined in Virginia Code § 1-212, and courts not of record, as defined in Virginia Code § 16.1-69.5. Such records are open to inspection as provided for in Titles 16.1 and 17.1 of the Code of Virginia, subject to any prohibitions or restrictions of any applicable law or court order.”

Public Records Maintained by the Office of the Executive Secretary
Request for records of judicial officers and administrative records should be made in accordance with the procedures set forth in Part Eleven of the Rules of Supreme Court of Virginia. Publicly accessible records maintained by the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia may be requested from the Director of Legislative and Public Relations, Office of the Executive Secretary, Supreme Court of Virginia, 100 North 9th Street, Richmond, Va. 23219; Tel. 804-786-6455.

Public Records Maintained by Clerks of Court
Public records maintained by a clerk of court, including nonconfidential court records maintained in individual case files, should be requested from the clerk of court.  Information on requesting records from a clerk of court is available in the document Requesting Public Records from Clerks of Court.

Virginia General Assembly
Provides general information about the legislature and, during Session, includes links to live streaming video and audio of the floor sessions of the Senate of Virginia and the Virginia House of Delegates.

Legislative Information System 
Provides information about legislation from current and past Sessions of the General Assembly of Virginia.