The judge of each circuit court in which juries are impaneled shall, prior to the first day of July in each year, appoint for the next ensuing year ending on the following first day of July not less than two nor more than 15 persons as jury commissioners, who shall be competent to serve as jurors under the provisions of this chapter, and shall be citizens of intelligence, morality, and integrity. The judge of the circuit court of a county having the urban county executive form of government may appoint jury commissioners at any time prior to the first day of November in each year. Any one judge of the judicial circuit may make such appointment under this section. No practicing attorney-at-law, however, shall be appointed as a jury commissioner. Such appointment shall be certified by the judge to the clerk of the court for which the appointment is made, who shall enter the same on the civil order book of such court. A jury commissioner shall be eligible for reappointment. For the purpose of this section, the two divisions of the Circuit Court of the City of Richmond shall be deemed to be separate courts.
§ 8.01-343.Appointment of jury commissioners.
Chapter 11. Juries · Article 3. Selection of Jurors · Last amended 2016 · Last verified July 16, 2026
In one sentenceRequires each circuit court judge to appoint, before July 1 each year, between two and fifteen jury commissioners — competent, upstanding citizens who cannot be practicing attorneys — to serve for the following year, with the appointment certified to the clerk and commissioners eligible for reappointment.
Full Text of § 8.01-343
Plain-English Summary
Behind every jury sits a small group of citizens doing quiet, largely invisible work: the jury commissioners who build the jury lists. This section makes each circuit court judge responsible for appointing between two and fifteen of them every year, before July 1, to serve through the following June 30 — with a later, November 1 deadline available to counties that use the urban county executive form of government.
The judge cannot pick just anyone. Commissioners must themselves be qualified to serve as jurors and must be citizens of intelligence, morality, and integrity, and practicing attorneys are barred outright from the role, keeping the process free of anyone with a professional stake in litigation outcomes.
Once chosen, a commissioner can be reappointed without limit, and the appointment becomes official only when the judge certifies it to the clerk, who logs it in the court’s civil order book. Richmond’s two circuit court divisions are treated as separate courts for purposes of this appointment process.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many jury commissioners does a Virginia circuit court appoint?
Not less than two nor more than 15 persons.
Can a practicing lawyer serve as a jury commissioner?
No. No practicing attorney-at-law may be appointed as a jury commissioner.
When must the judge make the jury commissioner appointments?
Prior to the first day of July each year, for the year ending the following July 1, except that the judge of a circuit court of a county with the urban county executive form of government may appoint any time prior to November 1.
Can a jury commissioner be reappointed after their term ends?
Yes. A jury commissioner is eligible for reappointment.
How is a jury commissioner appointment made official?
The judge certifies the appointment to the clerk of the court, who enters it on the civil order book of that court.
Amendment History
Code 1950, § 8-208.8; 1973, c. 439; 1977, c. 617; 1979, c. 269; 1996, c. 332; 1999, c. 221; 2000, c. 251; 2006, c. 306; 2009, c. 790; 2016, c. 177.
Source & verification. Section text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Code of Virginia, published by the
Code of Virginia, Virginia Division of Legislative Automated Systems. Last verified July 16, 2026.
· Official source
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