The Circuit Court handles all civil cases with claims of more than $15,000. It shares concurrent authority with the General District Court to hear matters involving $4,501 to $15,000. In addition, the Circuit Court handles cases regarding divorces, property disputes, adoption proceedings, name changes as well as civil appeals from the General District Court and the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court. On the criminal side, the Circuit Court handles all felony cases and all misdemeanor and traffic appeals from the General District Court and the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court. There is a Circuit Court in each city and county in Virginia. Circuit Court Judges are elected by the General Assembly for 8-year terms.

CLERK OF CIRCUIT COURT:  Lee G. Turner, Clerk
The Clerk of the Circuit Court is an elected constitutional officer who has many statutory responsibilities. It has been reported that there are over 800 sections of the Code of Virginia which set forth what the Clerk shall do. Some of the duties necessary to meet these responsibilities are:

• Attendance at all Court proceedings, preparation of Court dockets, and drafting criminal court orders.
• Preparation and maintenance of all criminal and civil law files, adoption proceedings, garnishments and levies, summoning witnesses for Court appearances, and jury administration.
  Probate of wills and codicils, appointment of executors and administrators of estates.
• Custodian of trust funds held by the Court and funds held by the Court during litigation.
  Recordation of deeds, deeds of trust, mechanic's liens and all other documents pertaining to the ownership of land within the County.
• Collection of state and local recording fees, all filing fees, and all criminal fines and Court costs, and receiving monetary restitution for payment to victims in criminal cases.
• Issuance of marriage licenses.
• Docketing judgments, recording financing statements, and processing concealed handgun permits.
• Custodian of records beginning with the time the County was formed from the Shire of Henrico in 1728. These older records have been preserved using approved methods of preservation. Since 2001 we have been using the digital record keeping system for our land records.
  Please call us at 804-556-5353 for any further information