SEARCH SITE
VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL
- Code of Virginia
- Virginia Administrative Code
- Constitution of Virginia
- Charters
- Authorities
- Compacts
- Uncodified Acts
- RIS Users (account required)
SEARCHABLE DATABASES
- Bills & Resolutions
session legislation - Bill Summaries
session summaries - Reports to the General Assembly
House and Senate documents - Legislative Liaisons
State agency contacts
ACROSS SESSIONS
- Subject Index: Since 1995
- Bills & Resolutions: Since 1994
- Summaries: Since 1994
Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.
1995 SESSION
WHEREAS, the Commission on the Future of Virginia's Judicial System recommended that "an expanded range of magistrate services" be established using full-time magistrates in the Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, the Commission reasoned that a full-time system would ensure that citizens in all jurisdictions would have equal access to qualified magistrate services and that such a system, if broadened to include arbitration of small claims, could help create a more effective judicial system; and
WHEREAS, many rural areas of the Commonwealth are currently experiencing trouble maintaining their employment levels in magistrate positions which are part time and compensated at a low level; and
WHEREAS, the lack of an adequately staffed and trained magistrate system is creating problems for law enforcement as well as the citizenry at large; and
WHEREAS, suggested requests for improvement have been logged with various public officials, such as, increasing office hours, having a better compensation package, conducting background investigations, and requiring legal experience and additional education and training for magistrates; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission be directed to study Virginia's magistrate system. The study shall include (i) determining the efficacy of establishing full-time magistrate coverage across the Commonwealth, (ii) requiring certain prerequisite experience and education along with preemployment training for all magistrates, (iii) conducting background investigations in the same manner as are conducted for other law-enforcement personnel, (iv) offering an appropriate compensation package which both attracts and retains competent personnel in magistrate positions, including the disparity in salaries, (v) requiring legal education for all magistrates to be conducted on a regular and continuing basis, and (vi) broadening the scope of a magistrate's responsibilities, e.g., administrative license revocation and arbitration of small claims.
The Commission is requested to include the findings and recommendations of this study in its report on the administration of justice, pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution No. 263 (1995), as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents.