Juvenile and Domestic Relations (J & DR) District Court

The Juvenile and Domestic Relations court handles all matters involving juveniles (any person under the age of 18) and matters between a married couple, family members, individuals who have a child in common, or two people living together. The Juvenile and Domestic Relations court is housed at the Cunningham Courts Building, 314 W. Main Street.

http://www.courts.state.va.us/courts/jdr/louisa/home.html

General District Court

The General District Court handles all criminal misdemeanor cases, most traffic violations and preliminary hearings for criminal felony cases. The General District Court is housed at the Cunningham Courts Building, 314 W. Main Street.

http://www.courts.state.va.us/courts/gd/louisa/home.html
Click here to check the status of your case

Circuit Court

The Circuit Court handles all felony charges and misdemeanor appeals from General District Court. Circuit Court cases are heard at Main Courthouse, 100 W. Main Street.

http://www.courts.state.va.us/courts/circuit/Louisa/home.html

For a comprehensive overview of the criminal justice system in Virginia we recommend the Courts in Brief website published by the Virginia Supreme Court.

What is the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony?

A misdemeanor is a crime punishable by a maximum sentence of 12 months in jail, a fine of not more than $2,500, or both. A felony is a more serious crime that carries a potential prison sentence in a state penitentiary as well as long-term restrictions on your rights. Misdemeanor cases are heard by a judge, whereas a felony trial can be held before either a judge or a jury.

How do I find out which court and what time a trial will be heard?

Case information is available from the Virginia Court Case Information websites. More Information for General District Court and Circuit Court. On the Case information website, find the Louisa County court the case will be heard in (Criminal, Circuit or Juvenile and Domestic Relations) in the pull down menu. After typing in the defendant's name, a list of cases will appear. Click on the case number in the left hand column to find out more details about each case. The form should have the time and date of the next hearing, as well as the courtroom number.

How can I contact the prosecutor assigned to my case?

Please call our office at (540) 967-2205 and tell the receptionist the name of the defendant. If you are a defendant the prosecutor will not be able to speak to you. Instead, please have your lawyer contact the prosecutor.