Portsmouth Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court
3rd Judicial District of Virginia
Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Courts Informational Pamphlet
CLERK OF COURT
Courtney E Nicolas
Clerk's Office Hours
8:00AM - 4:00PM
PHONE
(757) 393-8851
FAX
(757) 393-2020
ADDRESS
1345 Court Street
Suite 103
Portsmouth, VA 23704
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- Hon. Bryan K. Meals, Presiding Judge, Chief Judge
- Hon. Solomon H Ashby Jr., Presiding Judge
- Hon. Diane P. Griffin, Presiding Judge
- Effective July 1, 2025-Criminal Plea Agreements:
The Portsmouth Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court shall implement the following local rule with respect to criminal plea agreements for felonies and misdemeanors. If a presiding judge rejects a plea agreement freely negotiated by the Commonwealth's Attorney and Defendant's Attorney and/or Defendant, that judge shall then immediately recuse him or herself in accordance with Virginia Code Section 16.-277.7, Virginia Code Section 19.2-254 or any other applicable code section. Henceforth, the case will be assigned to another presiding judge in alphabetical order by last name. If that presiding judge also rejects the same plea agreement, the plea is then considered rejected by the entire Court and the same plea agreement shall not be considered by any other presiding judge. That second presiding judge will then also recuse him or herself in accordance with the aforementioned code sections. The case will then be assigned to another presiding judge in alphabetical order by last name for disposition.
- Discovery:
Rule 8:15 governs; leave of court is not required for discovery requests pursuant to part (c) of the rule.
- INFORMATION FOR MAGISTRATES
- All Criminal Arraignments:
- If detained, set for the next day at 9:00 a.m.
- If released, set for two weeks out at 9:00 a.m.
Arraignments
- Criminal, Civil, Trafffic/Summons
Mon. - Fri., 9:00 a.m.
- Mon. - Fri., 10:00 a.m.
- Mon., Tues., & Thurs., 10:00 a.m.
- Mon., Tues., Wed., 9:30 a.m.
- Mon., Wed., & Thurs., 10:00 a.m.
- Mon. - Fri., 10:00 a.m.
- Tues., Wed., & Thurs., 9:30 a.m.
- Mon. - Fri., afternoons
- 2nd Thurs. of month, 3:15 p.m.
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Motions must be made in person, unless approval is otherwise given by the judge before whom the matter is scheduled.