VA HJR8

Requests the Judicial Council of Virginia to study the organization and boundaries of the 15th Judicial Circuit, which includes the City of Fredericksburg and 10 counties (Caroline, Essex, Hanover, King George, Lancaster, Northumberland, Richmond, Spotsylvania, Stafford, and Westmoreland)

Circuit boundaries were established in 1973 and have not been adjusted since, despite Stafford and Spotsylvania Counties experiencing 424.5% and 645.2% population growth respectively, and the circuit seeing the greatest caseload increase of all circuits between 1980 and 2010

Study must evaluate caseload data, population data, court management practices, travel time between courthouses, and whether the mix of high-growth urban areas with rural localities creates inefficiencies

Council must determine whether the City of Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania County, and Stafford County should be removed to form a new separate judicial circuit, or alternatively suggest ways to ease burdens on judges

Report and executive summary due by the first day of the 2027 Regular Session, with study meetings completed by November 30, 2026