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Three Virginia courts serve the residents of Fairfax County: Circuit Court, General District Court, and Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court.
About the Courthouse
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Map of the
Courthouse and Public Safety Center
- Public parking is available only in Garage B. The garage utilizes a pay on foot system for faster exiting. Please remember to take your ticket with you and pay at the parking lobby kiosk before returning to your vehicle. Please allow plenty of time to find parking.
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Security
Birth & Death Certificates
Vital records — birth, death, marriage and divorce records — are maintained by Virginia's Office of Vital Records in Richmond. Birth records become public information after 100 years and death, marriage, and divorce after 50 years. Records of deaths are also maintained for five years at the Joseph Willard Health Center, 3750 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax, 703-246-7100, TTY 711.
Circuit Court
Circuit Court has jurisdiction over:
- Jury duty / Jury trials.
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Accommodations
- Civil claims over $4,500 but not exceeding $15,000 concurrent with General District Court and all claims exceeding $15,000.
- Felonies and offenses that may be punished by commitment to the state penitentiary for 1 year or more, misdemeanor charges originating from a grand jury indictment.
- Divorce proceedings.
- Wills, trusts, and estate matters.
- Property disputes.
- Adoption proceedings.
- Marriage licenses, name changes, concealed weapon permits, land records.
- Transfers or certification of felony offenses committed by juveniles.
- Appeals from administrative agencies, the General District Court, and Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court.
General District Court
General District Court handles adult traffic and criminal cases, as well as civil and small claims matters. The General District Court has jurisdiction over:
- Civil lawsuits in which the amount in question does not exceed $15,000.
- Small Claims cases, where parties represent themselves and the amount of the suit does not exceed $5,000.
- Landlord/Tenant disputes, such as over rent and possession, filed in the Civil Division
- Preliminary hearings in felony cases to determine if there is sufficient evidence to send the case to Circuit Court
- Cases in which an adult is charged with a criminal misdemeanor under state or local law and offenses involving ordinances and by-laws of Fairfax County. (In Virginia, a misdemeanor is any charge that carries a penalty of no more than 12 months in jail and/or a fine of no more than $2,500.)
- Cases in which an adult is charged with a traffic infraction punishable by a fine only.
- Cases in which an adult is charged with such traffic related misdemeanors as DWI and reckless driving.
Juvenile & Domestic Relations District Court
Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court has jurisdiction over:
- Delinquents.
- Juveniles (any person under 18) accused of traffic violations.
- Children in need of supervision (truants, runaways).
- Children who have been subjected to abuse or neglect.
- Spousal abuse.
- Adults accused of child abuse or neglect, or of offenses against members of their own family or household members (juvenile or adult).
- Adults involved in disputes concerning the visitation, support or custody of a child, abandonment of children, foster care and entrustment agreements.
- Probation and Residential Services.
- Court-ordered rehabilitation services, and court consent for certain medical treatments.
They also operate the Juvenile Detention Center.
Courtroom Technology Office (CrTO)
The Courtroom Technology Office (CrTO) coordinates research and facilitates automation and technological enhancements throughout the court system; to include the Circuit Court, General District Court, Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court, Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, Office of the Sheriff and the Bar Association. The CrTO is a Department of Information Technology function supporting all three Courts, managed by a Courtroom Technology Officer, under the direction of the Chief Judge, Clerk of the Court and the Fairfax County Chief Technology Officer.
Magistrate
The principal function of the Magistrate is to provide an independent and unbiased review of complaints brought to the office by citizens and law enforcement officers. Magistrates are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at the Fairfax Adult Detention Center and the Mount Vernon Governmental Center. Limited magistrate service is also available at the Mason Governmental Center.
Old Courthouse
The Historical Fairfax Courthouse at 4000 Chain Bridge Road was built in 1800. It is a national landmark and was the seat of civil war activity, changing hands from Confederate control to Union control and back several times. The first officer casualty of the Civil War occurred on the grounds here. Captain John Quincy Marr was killed during a skirmish between Union cavalry and the Confederate Warrenton Rifles who were then occupying the courthouse grounds. This courthouse is still in use today and is currently the home of the Fairfax Juvenile and Domestic Relations General District Court & Clerks Office.
Probation & Parole
Public Law Library
The Fairfax Public Law Library provides citizens with access to information about laws and legal procedures. Its resources include more than 35,000 books and legal periodicals as well as several public computer research terminals.
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