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HB46 • 2026

Judges; maximum number in each judicial circuit.

<p class=ldtitle>A BILL to amend and reenact § 17.1-507 of the Code of Virginia, relating to maximum number of judges in each judicial circuit.</p>

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Reid
Last action
2026-02-04
Official status
Incorporated
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not mention requiring a study for other circuits, only that it is a recommendation of the Judicial Council.

Increasing Judge Numbers in Twentieth Judicial Circuit

This bill changes the law to allow up to six judges instead of five in the Twentieth Judicial Circuit.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the maximum number of judges allowed in the Twentieth Judicial Circuit from five to six.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Judges and courts in the Twentieth Judicial Circuit

Terms To Know

Judicial Council
A group that studies the need for more judges and reports to the legislature.
Circuit Court Judge
A judge who works in a specific judicial circuit handling cases.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill only affects one specific judicial circuit, not all of them.
  • It does not specify when the change will take effect.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-04 Courts of Justice

    Incorporated by Courts of Justice (HB443-Hope) (Voice Vote)

  2. 2026-02-02 Criminal

    Subcommittee recommends incorporating (Voice Vote)

  3. 2026-01-30 Criminal

    Assigned HCJ sub: Criminal

  4. 2026-01-27 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB46)

  5. 2025-12-26 House

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101901D

  6. 2025-12-26 Courts of Justice

    Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

Official Summary Text

Maximum number of judges in each judicial circuit.
Increases from five to six the maximum number of judges authorized in the Twentieth Judicial Circuit. This bill is a recommendation of the Judicial Council of Virginia.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
A BILL to amend and reenact §
17.1-507
of the Code of Virginia, relating to maximum number of judges in each judicial circuit.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §
17.1-507
of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§
17.1-507
. Maximum number of judges; residence requirement; compensation; powers; etc.

A. For the several judicial circuits there shall be judges, the maximum number as hereinafter set forth, who shall during their service reside within their respective circuits and whose compensation and powers shall be the same as now and hereafter prescribed for circuit judges.

The maximum number of judges of the circuits shall be as follows:

First — 6

Second — 8

Third — 4

Fourth — 8

Fifth — 4

Sixth — 3

Seventh — 5

Eighth — 3

Ninth — 5

Tenth — 4

Eleventh — 3

Twelfth — 6

Thirteenth — 7

Fourteenth — 5

Fifteenth — 12

Sixteenth — 6

Seventeenth — 4

Eighteenth — 3

Nineteenth — 15

Twentieth —
5
6

Twenty-first — 3

Twenty-second — 4

Twenty-third — 5

Twenty-fourth — 6

Twenty-fifth — 7

Twenty-sixth — 8

Twenty-seventh — 6

Twenty-eighth — 4

Twenty-ninth — 5

Thirtieth — 4

Thirty-first — 7

B. No additional circuit court judge shall be authorized or provided for any judicial circuit until the Judicial Council has made a study of the need for such additional circuit court judge and has reported its findings and recommendations to the House and Senate Committees for Courts of Justice. The boundary of any judicial circuit shall not be changed until a study has been made by the Judicial Council and a report of its findings and recommendations made to said Committees.

C. If the Judicial Council finds the need for an additional circuit court judge after a study is made pursuant to subsection B, the study shall be made available to the Compensation Board and the House and Senate Committees for Courts of Justice and the Judicial Council shall publish notice of such finding in a publication of general circulation among attorneys licensed to practice in the Commonwealth. The Compensation Board shall make a study of the need to provide additional courtroom security and deputy court clerk staffing. This study shall be reported to the House Committee for Courts of Justice and the Senate Committee for Courts of Justice, and to the Department of Planning and Budget.