Court - Gloucester, Middlesex Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court-9th Judicial District of Virginia

The JDR courts are district courts, which in Virginia means they are not courts of record and there are no jury trials. All cases are heard and decided by the judge. Parties to a case can appeal the final decisions of the JDR court to the circuit court, which is a court of record and may involve a jury trial. The JDR courts handle cases involving: • children accused of delinquent acts, traffic infractions, or status offenses; • children in need of services or supervision; • children who have been subjected to abuse or neglect, or abandoned; • children whose custody, visitation, support, or parentage is before the court; • children for whom relief of custody or termination of parental rights is sought; • children in foster care and former foster youth in the Fostering Futures Program; • children seeking emancipation or work permits; • children whose eligibility for federal or state benefits requires certain findings by the court; • family or household members who have been subjected to or accused of abuse; • adults accused of child abuse or neglect, or of offenses against a family or household member; • spouses seeking support after separation; • enforcement of support orders; • court-ordered rehabilitation services; • court consent for certain medical and mental health treatments; and • court-ordered blood testing of minors.