Virginia General District Court

The Virginia General District Court (GDC) is the lowest level of the Virginia court system, and is the court that most Virginians have contact with. The jurisdiction of the GDC is generally limited to traffic cases and other misdemeanors, civil cases involving amounts of under $25,000. There are 32 GDC districts, each having at least one judge, and each having a clerk of the court and a courthouse with courtroom facilities.

The GDCs are not courts of record, meaning that they do not keep detailed records of their proceedings and their decisions provide no precedent to be cited in other proceedings. Proceedings before the GDC are less formal than those brought before higher courts in the state. They do not conduct jury trials; cases are heard and decided by the judge. In civil cases, they are only empowered to award legal damages, and generally cannot provide remedies in equity, such as injunctions or declaratory judgments.

The subject-matter jurisdiction of the GDC is narrow, both with respect to civil cases and criminal cases. With respect to civil claims, it has sole authority to try cases involving amounts of $4,500 or less. It shares authority with the Virginia Circuit Court to try cases involving sums between $4,500 and $25,000. The amount in controversy is determined without considering interest or attorney's fees, even if recovery of these costs is specified in the contract. Within these limitations, the GDC can hear cases in tort or contract, and actions in detinue seeking the return of wrongfully held personal property. In determining whether the amount involved falls within the amount in controversy requirement, interest payments and attorney's fees contracted for in a written instrument.

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