Address:
Franklin P. Backus Courthouse
520 King Street
First Floor
Alexandria, Virginia 22314

Phone:
(703) 746-4141

Fax:
(703) 838-4092

Hours of Operation:
Monday through Friday, 8:00AM to 4:00PM
Closed during state holidays

The Alexandria JDR Court is a "court not of record", meaning that there are no jury trials in the court, and all decisions are made by a judge.  All final orders entered by a JDR Court judge can be appealed to the Circuit Court for the City of Alexandria, which is a court of record, for a new trial.

The Alexandria JDR Court functions through the collaboration of dedicated, hard-working officials in three sections: the Alexandria Court Service Unit (CSU), the Clerk’s Office (the Chief Clerk and six deputy clerks), and the Judges (two full-time judges). Most cases begin in the CSU, where intake officers meet with the public to discuss legal issues for the Court to decide. The CSU helps parties prepare required documents to be filed with the Clerk's Office. CSU also provides services to including probation, monitoring, counseling, family therapy, assessments, and parent education. The Clerk's Office keeps the records of the court, prepares the Court's dockets, and assists the judges in court.  The judges preside over hearings in court and make decisions.

Since 2002, The Alexandria Juvenile Court has been a Best Practices Court in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The focus of a Best Practices Court is to improve court practices for children in abuse and neglect cases. As part of the Best Practices Court Program there are yearly activities and training that the Alexandria Juvenile Court not only provides but also attends. These trainings have focused on a wide range of topics from child safety to immigration, but the focus always remains bettering court practices for children in abuse and neglect cases. Best Practices Courts are supported by the Virginia Court Improvement Program through the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia as well as the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges’ Permanency Planning for Children Department.

Additional information is available on the Alexandria Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court's state website: Alexandria Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court (vacourts.gov)

Pursuant to Va. Code § 16.1-278.15 and § 20-103, the parties to any contested child custody or visitation case must attend an approved Parent Education Seminar.  Parent Education Seminars approved by the Alexandria JDR Court can be found here: List of approved Parent Education Seminars.  Additional information regarding Parent Education Seminars can be found on the Supreme Court of Virginia's website.

The Court sets aside one courtroom every Thursday afternoon to hear motions in civil cases. Any motion in a civil case requiring a hearing 60 minutes or less should be scheduled on the Thursday Civil Motions Day docket. Motions expected to require more than 60 minutes must be scheduled for a date certain by contacting the Clerk’s Office. Thursday Civil Motions Day dockets are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

From 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. the Court hears uncontested motions. Uncontested motions must be filed no later than 24 hours before the hearing. Fully endorsed agreed orders may be submitted in lieu of docketing an uncontested motion for hearing.

From 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. the Court hears contested motions. Before filing a contested motion, the moving party should make a good-faith effort to resolve the issue with the opposing party or counsel. Contested motions must be filed and served at least two weeks before the hearing, and any written response should be filed at least one week before the hearing.

A Civil Motions Day Praecipe must be filed for each motion being docketed for hearing on the Thursday Civil Motions Day.

Download the Thursday Civil Motions Day Praecipe and Instructions.

A person who is subject to a final protective order is prohibited by Virginia law from possessing, purchasing, or transporting firearms while the order is in effect. Within 24 hours after service, the person must sell or transfer any firearms they possess to a licensed dealer, to someone who does not live with them and is at least 21 years old, or they may surrender the firearms to a law enforcement agency.  Within 48 hours the person must file the required written certification with the JDR Court.  For more information, please review the Firearms Surrender information sheet which contains detailed information on the process for surrendering firearms to the Alexandria Police Department for safekeeping.

Any person required to appear in the Alexandria Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court for any matter must appear in person unless remote appearance is specifically approved in writing, in advance, by a judge.  Unless a judge orders otherwise, remote appearances shall be by remote video utilizing the Court’s Pexip Justice platform.  Remote appearances are governed by the Alexandria JDR Court's Policy on Remote Appearance.

Requests for remote appearance for any defendant, accused juvenile, or witness in adult criminal or juvenile delinquency cases may only be made by a written motion (if contested) or agreed order (if uncontested).

Requests for remote appearance for parties or witnesses in civil cases, or persons other than a party or witness in any case, shall be made by filing the Request for Remote Appearance Form with the Clerk of the Court.