All such pleadings shall be heard in open court. Form, notice, and any required fee shall be as prescribed by law. Seven days' notice is required to the opposing party and the court. Motions may be typed by either party, may be filed on the General Notice and Motion Form or may be filed on one of the appropriate forms provided by the Supreme Court of Virginia (located here).
Civil Motions on Warrant-in-Debt filings shall continue to be heard on Wednesdays @ 1:00PM with a seven (7) day notice requirement on the certificate of service mailing. These motions will need to be filed by the close of business on Tuesday for the Wednesday motions’ docket of the following week.
Civil Motions on Unlawful Detainer filings on a non-emergency basis will be heard on Fridays at 9:30AM with a seven (7) day notice requirement on the certificate of service mailing. If counsel in the matter has a Friday docket on the scheduled motion date, the motion will be placed in that firm’s docket. If the attorney has no matters set on that Friday’s docket, the motion will be placed with the attorneys with one section of the docket. Emergency motions on Unlawful Detainer cases will continue to be heard the next business day after filing at 9:30AM.
Emergency Motions will be heard at 9:30AM Monday-Friday.
Counsel may file a telephone request for the judge to telephone them if they have a conflict with any motion that has been noticed. Counsel must email the phone request form to GDCMail@fairfaxcounty.gov or call the clerk’s office in advance with their information. The request will be placed on the front of the file jacket for the Court to review.
Non-substantive motions can be filed on the regularly scheduled 2A return docket and will be heard with the plaintiff's cases. Fridays are reserved for landlord/tenant and small claims motions.
Substantive motions will be heard on Wednesday at 1:00PM. Limit of one substantive motion per case per court date. Time limit of 20 minutes per motion (longer motion will need to be specially set for the 9:30 shared float courtroom). Substantive motions include:
- Demurrers
- Pleas in Bar
- Motions Objecting to Jurisdiction
- Motions to Transfer Venue if accompanied by a memorandum in support
- Motions to Dismiss
- Motions to Quash Process
- Motions Craving Oyer
- Motions to Compel Arbitration
- Motion for Sanctions
- Motions for Summary Judgment if accompanied by a memorandum in support
- Motions to Transfer Jurisdiction
- Any Motion Accompanied by a memorandum in support