Access Information

There are no access restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Virginia Supreme Court, Original jurisdiction case files, [please cite specific dates and accessions used]. State government records collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Acquisition Information

Accession 35775 transferred by the Supreme Court of Virginia 03/25/1998.

Accession 45221 transferred by the Supreme Court of Virginia 05/02/2011.

Accession 50221 transferred by the Supreme Court of Virginia 11/16/2011.

Accession 50610 transferred by the Supreme Court of Virginia 10/18/2012.

Accession 50696 transferred by the Supreme Court of Virginia 01/30/2013.

Accession 51267 transferred by the Supreme Court of Virginia 04/03/2014.

Accession 53883 transferred by the Supreme Court of Virginia 04/24/2023.

Accession 54305 transferred by the Supreme Court of Virginia 09/23/2024.

Accession 54323 transferred by the Supreme Court of Virginia 10/23/2024.

Historical Information

The Supreme Court of Appeals of Virginia was created by an act of the General Assembly passed at the May 1779 session and has continued to the present day. Its antecedent was the General Court, which, after it was reestablished under the constitution of 1776, shared appellate jurisdiction with the Supreme Court until 1851, when the new state constitution abolished the General Court. Prior to that date the General Court had criminal jurisdiction, while the Supreme Court was restricted to civil cases. While the court now has concurrent original jurisdiction in issuing and hearing writs of habeas corpus, mandamus and prohibition, retirement, removal, and matters of judicial censure, its jurisdiction is almost exclusively appellate. An act of the General Assembly passed on March 16, 1971 changed the name of the court to the Supreme Court of Virginia.

Scope and Content Note

This series consists of individual case files that contain filings, briefs, correspondence and other supporting material in cases of original jurisdiction. The Supreme Court of Virginia has original jurisdiction in cases involving habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, and judicial censure, retirement or removal.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Virginia. -- Supreme Court.
• Appellate courts -- Virginia.
• Courts -- Virginia.
• Briefs (legal documents) -- aat.
• Judicial records. -- aat.
• Letters (correspondence) -- aat.
• State government records -- Virginia. -- aat.

Additional Note

These records are part of the Virginia Supreme Court record group (RG# 100)