United States District Court

Welcome to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. The Eastern District of Virginia consists of four divisions: Alexandria, Newport News, Norfolk, and Richmond. Our mission is to preserve and enhance the rule of law while providing an impartial and accessible forum for the just, timely, and economical resolution of legal proceedings within the Court's jurisdiction; to protect individual rights and liberties; to promote public trust and confidence in the judicial system; and, to maintain judicial independence.

The United States district courts are the trial courts of the federal court system. Within limits set by Congress and the Constitution, the district courts have jurisdiction to hear nearly all federal cases, including civil and criminal matters. Every day, hundreds of people nationwide are selected for jury duty to help decide some of these cases.

There are 94 federal judicial districts, including at least one district in each state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Three territories of the United States -- the Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands -- have district courts that hear federal cases, including bankruptcy cases.

Bankruptcy courts are separate units of the district courts. Federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction over bankruptcy cases, meaning parties cannot file a bankruptcy case in a state court.