| A | B |
|---|
| Virginia Supreme Court | 1 chief and six justices |
| Court of Appeals | Eleven judges |
| Circuit Court | 31 courts |
| District Courts | 32 Districts |
| hears appeals from Circuit Court from some state agencies | Court of Appeals |
| hears criminal cases invovling large monetary claims and appeals from District Courts | Circuit Courts |
| hears traffic cases, minor criminal cases | General District Court |
| Hears domestic under 18 cases | District courses |
| reviews decisions of lower courts | Supreme Court |
| reviews decisions of Circuit Courts | Virginia Court of Appeals |
| grand jury | considers indictments prepared by commonwealth's Attorney |
| has subpoena powers to and may summon persons, documents, and records | grand jury |
| composes of 5-7 citizens of city or county | grand jury |
| to participate, must be 18, 1 year living in state and | grand jury |
| does not conduct jury trial | General District Courts |
| decide civil and traffic cases | General District Courts |
| provides independent , unbiased review of complaints brought to the office by police officers, sheriffs, deputies, and citizens to determine probable cause | magistrate |
| probable cause | reasonable belief based on facts that would cause a reasonable person to fee the accused committed the offense. |
| conducts bond hearings | magistrate |
| can issue arrest warrants, summons, bonds, search warrants, subpoenas and civil warrants | magistrate |
