(a) Whenever a local rule is prescribed by a circuit court it must be spread upon the order book and a copy with the date of entry must be forthwith posted in the clerk's office, filed with the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court, and furnished to attorneys regularly practicing before that circuit court; and whenever an attorney becomes counsel of record in any proceedings in a circuit court in which he does not regularly practice, it is his responsibility to ascertain the rules of that court and abide thereby. The clerk must, upon request, promptly furnish a copy of all rules then in force and effect.
Rule 1:15.Local Rules of Court.
Part One: General Rules Applicable to All Proceedings · Last amended 2025 · Last verified July 16, 2026
In one sentenceRule 1:15 requires circuit courts that adopt local rules to record, post, file, and distribute them to regularly practicing attorneys, requires attorneys appearing outside their usual court to learn its local rules, and sets required forms for local praecipe and pretrial-instruction rules along with an annual reporting duty for chief judges.
Full Text of Rule 1:15
(b) Whenever a local rule is prescribed by a circuit court providing for the orderly management of the civil docket by use of the praecipe system, the praecipe must be substantially in the form appearing in the appendix of forms at the end of this Part One.
(c) Whenever a local rule is prescribed by a circuit court providing for the submission of instructions prior to trial, such local rule must be substantially in the form appearing in the appendix of forms at the end of this Part One.
(d) The chief judges of the circuit and juvenile and domestic relations district courts must, on or before December 31 of each year, furnish the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court current general information relating to the management of the courts within each circuit and district. This information will be assembled and published electronically by the Executive Secretary.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 1:15 governs how circuit courts adopt and publicize local rules. A local rule must be entered in the order book, posted in the clerk’s office with its entry date, filed with the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court, and furnished to attorneys who regularly practice before that court. An attorney appearing in a circuit where the attorney does not regularly practice bears the responsibility of finding out that court’s rules and following them, and the clerk must promptly furnish a copy of the current rules on request.
If a circuit court adopts a local rule for managing the civil docket through a praecipe system, or for submitting jury instructions before trial, that local rule must substantially follow the form in the appendix at the end of Part One. Chief judges of the circuit and juvenile and domestic relations district courts must, by December 31 of each year, send the Executive Secretary current general information about how the courts in their circuit are managed, which the Executive Secretary then assembles and publishes electronically.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a Virginia circuit court adopt a local rule?
The local rule must be spread upon the order book, posted with its entry date in the clerk’s office, filed with the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court, and furnished to attorneys who regularly practice before that court, as Rule 1:15(a) requires.
I am appearing in a circuit court I do not usually practice in — do I need to learn its local rules?
Yes. Rule 1:15(a) makes it the responsibility of counsel of record who does not regularly practice before a circuit court to find out that court’s local rules and follow them.
Does a local praecipe rule have to follow a specific form?
Yes. Rule 1:15(b) requires that a local rule providing for docket management through a praecipe system substantially follow the form in the appendix at the end of Part One.
What must chief judges report each year under Rule 1:15?
By December 31 of each year, chief judges of the circuit and juvenile and domestic relations district courts must furnish the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court current general information about how the courts in their circuit are managed.
Can I get a copy of a circuit court’s local rules?
Yes. Rule 1:15(a) requires the clerk to promptly furnish a copy of all rules currently in force upon request.
Amendment History
Last amended by Order dated November 25, 2025; effective November 24, 2025.
Source & verification. Rule text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Rules of Supreme Court of Virginia, published by the
Supreme Court of Virginia. Last verified July 16, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: local rules of court Virginiacircuit court praecipe system VirginiaRule 1:15 Virginiafinding a circuit court’s local ruleschief judge annual report Virginia courts