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Types Of General District Court Cases
Civil Cases- The General District Court decides civil suits involving amounts of money up to $10,000. A suit is begun by filing a civil warrant or motion for judgment with the clerk of the court and paying a fee.
Criminal Cases- The General District Court decides cases in which a person is charged with a misdemeanor. A misdemeanor is any charge which carries a penalty of no more than one year in jail or a fine of up to $2,500 or both.
The General District Court holds preliminary hearings in felony cases. Any charge which may be punishable by more than one year in jail is called a felony. Preliminary hearings in felony cases are held to determine whether there is enough evidence to justify holding the defendant for a grand jury hearing. The grand jury determines whether the accursed will be indicted and held for trial by the Circuit Court.
Each defendant in a criminal case is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Upon consideration of evidence, the judge decides the question of guilt or innocence and on a finding of guilt determines which penalty, if any, is proper and lawful.
Traffic Cases- The General District Court hears cases in which a person is charged with a traffic offense. Most traffic offenses are traffic infractions. (Cases involving awards to individuals for damage in connection with traffic violations are civil in nature.) If you are convicted of certain traffic violations the Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles will assess points against your driver's license. This is an administrative action by DMV and is in addition to any sentence imposed by the judge.
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