SB 1261

  • Virginia Senate Bill
  • 2021 Regular Session
  • Introduced in Senate Jan 12, 2021
  • Passed Senate Feb 05, 2021
  • Passed House Feb 25, 2021
  • Signed by Governor Mar 31, 2021

Court of Appeals; expands jurisdiction, increases from 11 to 17 number of judges on Court.

Abstract

Court of Appeals; jurisdiction; number of judges. Expands the jurisdiction of the Court of Appeals of Virginia by providing for an appeal of right in every civil case and provides that the granting of further appeal to the Supreme Court of Virginia shall be within the discretion of the Supreme Court. The bill provides for an appeal of right in criminal cases by a defendant, but leaves unchanged the current requirement that in criminal cases the Commonwealth must petition the Court of Appeals for granting of an appeal. The bill increases from 11 to 17 the number of judges on the Court of Appeals. The bill also (i) provides jurisdiction to the Court of Appeals over interlocutory appeals and petitions for review of injunctions; (ii) allows for oral arguments to be dispensed with if the panel of judges makes a unanimous decision that the appeal is wholly without merit or that the dispositive issues on appeal have already been authoritatively decided and the appellant has not argued that the case law should be overturned, extended, or reversed; (iii) provides that the Attorney General shall represent the Commonwealth in criminal appeals unless, and with the consent of the Attorney General, the attorney for the Commonwealth who prosecuted the case files a notice of appearance; (iv) eliminates the requirement for an appeal bond in criminal appeals; (v) requires all criminal cases in a court of record to be recorded and requires the clerk of the circuit court to prepare a transcript of any trial for which an appeal is noticed to him; and (vi) requires an expedited review of appeals of permanent protective orders and of bond validation proceedings. The bill has a delayed effective date of October 1, 2021, which is applicable to all provisions of the bill except for those increasing the number of judges on the Court of Appeals. The provisions of the bill are contingent on funding in a general appropriation act.

Court of Appeals; jurisdiction; number of judges. Expands the jurisdiction of the Court of Appeals of Virginia by providing for an appeal of right in every civil case and provides that the granting of further appeal to the Supreme Court of Virginia shall be within the discretion of the Supreme Court. The bill provides for an appeal of right in criminal cases by a defendant, but leaves unchanged the current requirement that in criminal cases the Commonwealth must petition the Court of Appeals for granting of an appeal. The bill increases from 11 to 17 the number of judges on the Court of Appeals. The bill also (i) provides jurisdiction to the Court of Appeals over interlocutory appeals and petitions for review of injunctions; (ii) allows for oral arguments to be dispensed with if the panel of judges makes a unanimous decision that the appeal is frivolous or that the dispositive issues on appeal have already been authoritatively decided; (iii) creates a process by which the Attorney General will be notified of any criminal appeal and has the opportunity to intervene as counsel of record by filing a notice of appearance, and allows the Commonwealth's attorney to be counsel of record provided the Attorney General has not filed such notice of appearance; (iv) eliminates the requirement for an appeal bond in criminal appeals; (v) requires the clerk of the circuit court to prepare a transcript of any trial for which an appeal is noticed to him; and (vi) requires an expedited review of appeals of permanent protective orders and of bond validation proceedings.

Bill Sponsors (3)

Votes


Actions


Mar 31, 2021

Office of the Governor

Approved by Governor-Chapter 489 (effective - see bill)

Mar 15, 2021

Office of the Governor

Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 31, 2021

Senate

Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on March 15, 2021

Mar 11, 2021

House

Signed by Speaker

Mar 10, 2021

Senate

Impact statement from DPB (SB1261ER)

Mar 09, 2021

Senate

Enrolled

Senate

Signed by President

Feb 27, 2021

Senate

Conference report agreed to by Senate (20-Y 17-N)

House

VOTE: Agreed To (54-Y 42-N)

House

Conference report agreed to by House (54-Y 42-N)

Virginia General Assembly

Amended by conference committee

Feb 25, 2021

Senate

Conferees appointed by Senate

House

Conferees appointed by House

House

Committee on Courts of Justice amendments rejected

House

Read third time

Senate

Senate acceded to request (28-Y 10-N)

House

House requested conference committee

House

House insisted on amendments

Senate

House amendments rejected by Senate (17-Y 21-N)

House

VOTE: Passage (54-Y 45-N)

House

Passed House with amendments (54-Y 45-N)

House

Engrossed by House as amended

House

Amendment by Delegate Mullin agreed to

House

Committee on Courts of Justice amendments agreed to

House

Committee on Courts of Justice amendments reconsidered

Feb 24, 2021

House

Passed by for the day

Feb 23, 2021

House

Read second time

Feb 22, 2021

House

Reported from Appropriations (11-Y 9-N)

House

Subcommittee recommends reporting (5-Y 2-N)

Feb 21, 2021

House

Assigned App. sub: Transportation & Public Safety

Feb 20, 2021

House

Referred to Committee on Appropriations

House

Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment(s) (13-Y 9-N)

House

House committee, floor amendments and substitutes offered

Feb 10, 2021

Senate

Impact statement from DPB (SB1261ES1)

Feb 08, 2021

House

Continued to Special Session 1 in Courts of Justice

Feb 07, 2021

House

Placed on Calendar

House

Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

House

Read first time

Feb 05, 2021

Senate

Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 18-N)

Feb 04, 2021

Senate

Read second time

Senate

Printed as engrossed 21103599D-ES1

Senate

Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute with amendment SB1261ES1

Senate

Committee amendment agreed to

Senate

Reading of amendment waived

Senate

Committee substitute agreed to 21103599D-S1

Senate

Reading of substitute waived

Feb 03, 2021

Senate

Constitutional reading dispensed (37-Y 0-N)

Feb 02, 2021

Senate

Impact statement from DPB (SB1261S1)

Senate

Reported from Finance and Appropriations with amendment (11-Y 5-N)

Jan 25, 2021

Senate

Reported from Judiciary with substitute (8-Y 6-N 1-A)

Senate

Rereferred to Finance and Appropriations

Senate

Committee substitute printed 21103599D-S1

Senate

Senate committee, floor amendments and substitutes offered

Jan 12, 2021

Senate

Referred to Committee on the Judiciary

Senate

Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/13/21 21101357D

Bill Text

Bill Text Versions Format
Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/13/21 21101357D HTML
Committee substitute printed 21103599D-S1 HTML
SB1261ES1 HTML
SB1261ER HTML
CHAP0489 HTML

Related Documents

Document Format
Fiscal Impact Statement: SB1261FS1122.PDF PDF
Amendment: SB1261AS HTML
Amendment: SB1261AHE HTML
Amendment: SB1261AH HTML
Amendment: SB1261AC HTML

Sources

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