Rules of Supreme Court of Virginia

These are the Rules of Supreme Court of Virginia as currently effective. Amended Rules are posted when they become effective.

Amendment Orders of the Supreme Court of Virginia amending the Rules of Supreme Court of Virginia.

• Order declining to adopt the proposal of the Special Committee on Criminal Discovery Rules to revise Rules 3A:11, 3A:12, 7C:5, 8:15 and adopt Rule 3A:12.1

Amendments Arranged by Rule, with Amendments Tracked are unofficial versions of Rules recently amended, showing additions and deletions. Additions to a Rule are shown in red and underlined; deletions are noted in blue and struck through.

• Rules 1:1A and 5A:35 (Effective November 25, 2024.)
• Rules 1:1B, 1:4, 1:5, 1:24, 1:25, 4:7A, 5:1B, 5:26, 5:29, 5A:1, 5A:10, 5A:12, 5A:13, 5A:19, 5A:20, 5A:21, 5A:22, 5A:25, and Part Five A, Appendix, Form 10. (Effective August 20, 2024.)
• Amendment to Rule 1A:8 (effective March 4, 2024). 

Proposed Draft Rule 3:26

• April 2023
  • Proposed Rule 3:26: Preliminary Injunctions - Standard for Granting.
  • Proposed amendments to Rules of Court, Rule 1A:1.
• October 2022
  • Proposed amendments to Part Six, Section IV, Paragraph 13-25(C).
• May 2022
  • Proposed rule regarding intervention by the Commonwealth where the constitutionality of a law is challenged.
• April 2022
  • Proposed amendments to Part One, Rule 1:5(f)
• December 2021
  • Proposed amendments to Part Six, Section IV, Paragraph 20
• August 2021
  • Proposed amendments to Rules 1A:1, Regulations and Rule 1A:9
  • Proposed amendments to Part Six, Section III, Canons of Judicial Conduct
• June 2021
  • Proposed amendments to Part One, Part Five and Part Five A addressing Court of Appeals Jurisdiction
• December 2020
  • Proposed amendments to Rules 1:19, 3:8, and 4:5(b)(6)
• November 2020
  • Proposed Rule 1A:8. Military Spouse Provisional Admission

• September 2020

  • Proposal to Replace “Shall” in the Rules of Court (September 4, 2020)
    • Draft Rules Replacing “Shall"

  September 2019

  • Proposed amendments to the Alternative Pretrial Order for Eminent Domain Cases, Form 3-A
  • Proposed amendments to Rule 4:5(b)(6)

  August 2019

  • Proposal on Live Testimony from Remote Locations Using Video Technology
  • The Advisory Committee on Rules of Court in Virginia Seeks Public Comment on Two Pending Proposed Rule Amendments Relating to Depositions in Discovery
  • The Supreme Court of Virginia Requests Public Comment on a Proposed Comment to a Rule of Professional Conduct
• April 2019
  • Proposal to Replace “Shall” in the Rules of Court (April 12, 2019 through July 12, 2019)
    • Draft Rules Replacing “Shall"
• October 30, 2018
  • The Supreme Court of Virginia to Consider New Rule Related to Digital Exhibits and Pleadings
• October 19, 2018
  • The Supreme Court of Virginia to Consider New Rules Related to Access to Judicial Records
• September 10, 2018
  • Supreme Court of Virginia to Consider New Rules Related to Jurisdictional Transfer During Appeal of Final Judgment and Amendments to Rules Related to the Filing of a Notice of Appeal
• April 17, 2018
  • Revised Proposal for Limited Scope Representation Rule (April 17, 2018 through August 1, 2018)
• December 1, 2017
  • Limited-Scope Representation (December 1, 2017 to March 1, 2018)
• October 20, 2016
  • Extension of Deadline of Call for Comment on Draft Rules and Revisions to Rules of Court: The Supreme Court of Virginia is considering adopting a Rule Related to Specialty Dockets.
• September 10, 2015
  • Rule 1:5 Counsel
• November 17, 2014
  • The Supreme Court of Virginia is considering proposed amendments to Rules 5:21A and 5A:38 related to appeals of injunctions.
• August 15, 2014
  • Business Records Rule Reformatting; Rule 2:803(6)
  • Numerical Limit of Requests for Admissions; Rule 4:11(e)
• July 30, 2013
  • Proposed Amendment to Rule 1:18
• July 1, 2013
  • The Supreme Court of Virginia is considering proposed amendments to Rule 3A:11 related to Criminal Discovery
• April 15, 2013
  • Proposed Amendments to Rules 1A:1 and 1A:3 remain pending with the Supreme Court. An order will be entered when a decision is made on these Rules.
• March 30, 2012
  • Draft Amendments to the Rules of Court re Electronic Filing of Papers
• August 26, 2011
  • Proposed Amendment to Rule 4:5
  • Proposed Draft Rule for Part Three of the Rules of Court Governing_Voir Dire in Civil Cases
  • Proposed Draft Part Nine of the Rules of Court Governing Involuntary Commitment Proceedings
• April 1, 2010
  • Proposed Amendment to Rule 5:21
• August 20, 2010
  • Proposed Amendments to Rules 1:8 and 3:16
  • Proposed Amendment to Rule 3:2 Addressing Dismissal of Actions Filed by Counsel Not Licensed to Practice Law in Virginia
• April 15, 2010
  • Preliminary Draft E-filing Rules
  • Preliminary Draft Rules Governing Unlicensed Attorney Filings
  • Revised Draft Rule for Confidentiality of Juror Information

These Canons, which govern the conduct and actions of all justices and judges of the Commonwealth, retired judges and members eligible for recall to judicial service, substitute judges and special justices, judges pro tempore while acting as a judge pro tempore, and all members of the State Corporation Commission and Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission, can be found in Part 6, Section III of the Rules of the Supreme Court of Virginia.

These Rules are promulgated pursuant to Virginia Code section 8.01-581.11 to govern all formal proceedings with respect to any duly constituted Medical Malpractice Review Panel.

Rules and Procedures for Implementing the Requirements of Article II, Section 6-A of the Constitution of Virginia.

Supreme Court of Virginia List of Acceptable Fonts