Courts by County & City
Which Virginia court hears a traffic case in this region, from the General District Court that tries most tickets to the circuit court that hears an appeal.
7 guides
Virginia has no court called a "traffic court." Under Va. Code § 16.1-123.1, the General District Court of the city or county where a traffic stop happened has exclusive original jurisdiction over the misdemeanors and traffic infractions that arise there — so searching for a city or county's "traffic court" almost always means that locality's General District Court. Two exceptions matter: a driver under 18 is dealt with in the juvenile and domestic relations district court (§ 16.1-241), and an appeal from a conviction goes to the circuit court for a completely new trial (§§ 16.1-132, 16.1-136), not a review of the first one.
The pages below cover counties and cities across Central, Southside and Western Virginia — from Mecklenburg to Tazewell to the Town of Wytheville's circuit court — with what each court handles and a link to its own page on Virginia's Judicial System site for the address, hours and clerk's phone number, which change more often than a guide like this one should try to track.
All guides
- Pittsylvania County General District Court: What It Handles
Pittsylvania County has no separate traffic court. Traffic tickets go to its General District Court (§ 16.1-123.1) — what it hears, and how to appeal.
- Colonial Heights General District Court: An Independent City's Court
Colonial Heights VA is an independent city with its own General District Court, which hears the city's traffic tickets and misdemeanors under § 16.1-123.1.
- Lynchburg J&D Court: Where a Teen Driver's Traffic Case Goes
A driver under 18 ticketed in Lynchburg, VA goes to the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court, not the General District Court (§ 16.1-241).
- Tazewell County General District Court: One Court, Several Towns
Tazewell County VA General District Court hears traffic tickets and misdemeanors countywide, including its towns, under Va. Code § 16.1-123.1.
- Henrico Traffic Court: Paying, Pleading and What Happens Next
"Henrico traffic court" means the Henrico County General District Court — what can be paid online, and what requires a court appearance.
- Mecklenburg County District Court: Where a Traffic Ticket Goes
Mecklenburg County VA district court: traffic tickets and misdemeanors go to the General District Court, § 16.1-123.1.
- The Wythe County Circuit Court in Wytheville: Felonies and Appeals
The circuit court in Wytheville, VA is Wythe County's circuit court: felony trials, and appeals tried fresh — not where a traffic ticket starts.