Virginia Code

Va. Code Ann. § 16.1-296 (2026)

Jurisdiction of appeals; procedure

✓ current as of May 2026

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A. From any final order or judgment of the juvenile court affecting the rights or interests of any person coming within its jurisdiction, an appeal may be taken to the circuit court within 10 days from the entry of a final judgment, order, or conviction and shall be heard de novo. In any such case, a copy of the notice of appeal shall be served consistent with Rule 1:12 of the Rules of Supreme Court of Virginia by the appealing party upon the opposing party or each counsel of record. The failure of the appealing party to properly serve the notice of appeal shall not affect the validity of an otherwise proper appeal. However, if the court determines that the appealing party failed to properly serve a copy of the notice of appeal upon an opposing party, the court may, on its own motion, (i) continue any hearing on such appeal or (ii) dismiss such appeal absent a showing of good cause by the appealing party.

A1. In a case arising under the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§ 20-88.32 et seq.), a party may take an appeal pursuant to this section within 30 days from entry of a final order or judgment. Protective orders issued pursuant to § 16.1-279.1 in cases of family abuse and orders entered pursuant to § 16.1-278.2 are final orders from which an appeal may be taken.

B. Upon receipt of notice of such appeal the juvenile court shall forthwith transmit to the attorney for the Commonwealth a report incorporating the results of any investigation conducted pursuant to § 16.1-273, which shall be confidential in nature and made available only to the court and the attorney for the defendant (i) after the guilt or innocence of the accused has been determined or (ii) after the court has made its findings on the issues subject to appeal. After final determination of the case, the report and all copies thereof shall be forthwith returned to such juvenile court.

C. Where an appeal is taken by a child on a finding that he or she is delinquent and on a disposition pursuant to § 16.1-278.8, trial by jury on the issue of guilt or innocence of the alleged delinquent act may be had on motion of the child, the attorney for the Commonwealth or the circuit court judge. If the alleged delinquent act is one which, if committed by an adult, would constitute a felony, the child shall be entitled to a jury of 12 persons. In all other cases, the jury shall consist of seven persons. If the jury in such a trial finds the child guilty, disposition shall be by the judge pursuant to the provisions of § 16.1-278.8 after taking into consideration the report of any investigation made pursuant to § 16.1-237 or 16.1-273.

C1. In any hearing held upon an appeal taken by a child on a finding that he is delinquent and on a disposition pursuant to § 16.1-278.8, the provisions of § 16.1-302 shall apply mutatis mutandis, except in the case of trial by jury which shall be open. If proceedings in the circuit court are closed pursuant to this subsection, any records or portions thereof relating to such closed proceedings shall remain confidential.

C2. Where an appeal is taken by a juvenile on a finding that he is delinquent and on a disposition pursuant to § 16.1-278.8 and the juvenile is in a secure facility pending the appeal, the circuit court, when practicable, shall hold a hearing on the merits of the case within 45 days of the filing of the appeal. Upon receipt of the notice of appeal from the juvenile court, the circuit court shall provide a copy of the order and a copy of the notice of appeal to the attorney for the Commonwealth within seven days after receipt of notice of an appeal. The time limitations shall be tolled during any period in which the juvenile has escaped from custody. A juvenile held continuously in secure detention shall be released from confinement if there is no hearing on the merits of his case within 45 days of the filing of the appeal. The circuit court may extend the time limitations for a reasonable period of time based upon good cause shown, provided the basis for such extension is recorded in writing and filed among the papers of the proceedings.

D. When an appeal is taken in a case involving termination of parental rights brought under § 16.1-283, the circuit court shall hold a hearing on the merits of the case within 90 days of the perfecting of the appeal. An appeal of the case to the Court of Appeals shall take precedence on the docket of the Court.

E. Where an appeal is taken by an adult on a finding of guilty of an offense within the jurisdiction of the juvenile and domestic relations district court, the appeal shall be dealt with in all respects as is an appeal from a general district court pursuant to §§ 16.1-132 through 16.1-137; however, where an appeal is taken by any person on a charge of nonsupport, the procedure shall be as is provided for appeals in prosecutions under Chapter 5 (§ 20-61 et seq.) of Title 20.

F. In all other cases on appeal, proceedings in the circuit court shall be heard without a jury; however, hearing of an issue by an advisory jury may be allowed, in the discretion of the judge, upon the motion of any party. An appeal from an order of protection issued pursuant to § 16.1-279.1 shall be given precedence on the docket of the court over other civil appeals taken to the circuit court from the district courts and shall be assigned a case number within two business days of receipt of such appeal.

If a party files an appeal of a district court order of protection entered pursuant to § 16.1-279.1, such notice of appeal shall be on a form prescribed by the Office of the Executive Secretary. The district court clerk shall contact the appellate court to determine whether the hearing on the appeal shall be set by the appellate court on (i) a date scheduled by the district court clerk with the court, (ii) on the next docket call date, or (iii) a date set for district court appeals. Once the hearing date is set and the appeal documents have been transmitted, the appellate court shall have the parties served with notice of the appeal stating the date and time of the hearing in accordance with subdivision 1 of § 8.01-296. No such hearing on the appeal shall be heard in the appellate court unless the appellee has been so served with such notice or notice has been waived by the non-moving party.

G. Costs, taxes and fees on appealed cases shall be assessed only in those cases in which a trial fee could have been assessed in the juvenile and domestic relations court and shall be collected in the circuit court, except that the appeal to circuit court of any case in which a fee either was or could have been assessed pursuant to § 16.1-69.48:5 shall also be in accordance with § 16.1-296.2.

H. No appeal bond shall be required of a party appealing from an order of a juvenile and domestic relations district court except for that portion of any order or judgment establishing a support arrearage or suspending payment of support during pendency of an appeal. In cases involving support, no appeal shall be allowed until the party applying for the same or someone for him gives bond, in an amount and with sufficient surety approved by the judge or by his clerk if there is one, to abide by such judgment as may be rendered on appeal if the appeal is perfected or, if not perfected, then to satisfy the judgment of the court in which it was rendered. Upon appeal from a conviction for failure to support or from a finding of civil or criminal contempt involving a failure to support, the juvenile and domestic relations district court may require the party applying for the appeal or someone for him to give bond, with or without surety, to insure his appearance and may also require bond in an amount and with sufficient surety to secure the payment of prospective support accruing during the pendency of the appeal. An appeal will not be perfected unless such appeal bond as may be required is filed within 30 days from the entry of the final judgment or order. However, no appeal bond shall be required of the Commonwealth or when an appeal is proper to protect the estate of a decedent, an infant, a convict or an insane person, or the interest of a county, city or town.

If bond is furnished by or on behalf of any party against whom judgment has been rendered for money, the bond shall be conditioned for the performance and satisfaction of such judgment or order as may be entered against the party on appeal, and for the payment of all damages which may be awarded against him in the appellate court. If the appeal is by a party against whom there is no recovery, the bond shall be conditioned for the payment of any damages as may be awarded against him on the appeal. The provisions of § 16.1-109 shall apply to bonds required pursuant to this subsection.

This subsection shall not apply to release on bail pursuant to other subsections of this section or § 16.1-298.

I. In all cases on appeal, the circuit court in the disposition of such cases shall have all the powers and authority granted by the chapter to the juvenile and domestic relations district court. Unless otherwise specifically provided by this Code, the circuit court judge shall have the authority to appoint counsel for the parties and compensate such counsel in accordance with the provisions of Article 6 (§ 16.1-266 et seq.) of this chapter.

J. In any case which has been referred or transferred from a circuit court to a juvenile court and an appeal is taken from an order or judgment of the juvenile court, the appeal shall be taken to the circuit court in the same locality as the juvenile court to which the case had been referred or transferred.

Code 1950, § 16.1-214; 1956, c. 555; 1966, c. 237; 1977, c. 559; 1978, c. 445; 1981, c. 109; 1982, c. 465; 1983, c. 88; 1984, c. 631; 1986, cc. 143, 465; 1989, c. 473; 1991, c. 534; 1993, c. 970; 1994, c. 673; 1995, c. 517; 1996, c. 866; 1997, cc. 654, 664, 790, 862; 1998, c. 550; 2004, cc. 468, 659, 727; 2005, c. 681; 2007, c. 464; 2009, c. 729; 2019, c. 718; 2020, c. 905; 2023, c. 788.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 225 cases (26 in the last 5 years), 1982–2026 · leading case: Mahoney v. Mahoney.

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Mahoney v. Mahoney (Va. Ct. App. 2000). · cites it 38× “Upon rehearing en banc, we hold the trial court did not err in its ruling that upon failure to post an appeal bond fixed under Code § 16.1-296(H), appellant's appeal must be dismissed.”

Williams v. Williams (Va. 1998). · cites it 20× “Code § 16.1-296, [1] in effect on the date that the parents perfected their appeal from the juvenile and domestic relations district court to the circuit court, stated in relevant part: "A.”

Keith Boatright v. Wise Cnty. Dep't of Soc. Servs. (Va. Ct. App. 2014). · cites it 16× “The [circuit] court erred in denying the motion to reverse and remand the case to juvenile court for scheduling defects in violation of Code § 16.1-296(D). 2. The [circuit] court erred in granting a continuance on January 30, 2014 at the request of the Department and over…”

Braulio M. Castillo v. Loudoun Cnty. Dep't of Fam. Servs. (Va. Ct. App. 2018). · cites it 4× “One statutory provision representative of this policy is Code § 16.1-296(D), which provides that appeals to circuit court of cases involving termination of parental rights must receive “a hearing on the merits of the case within 90 days of the perfecting of the appeal.”

Sharma v. Sharma (Va. Ct. App. 2005). · cites it 29× “Shekhar Sharma, husband, appeals an order of the Chesterfield County Circuit Court which dismissed his appeal of a juvenile and domestic relations district court order for failure to post a bond as required by Code § 16.1-296(H). Alternatively, he argues the trial court erred in…”

Hutchins v. Carrillo (Va. Ct. App. 1998). · cites it 36× “Thus, when father was prevented from filing his appeal bond on June 27 — the thirtieth day of the statutory period — by the early closing of the J & DR court clerk’s office, his right to appeal under Code § 16.1-296 was terminated. B. POSSIBLE REMEDIES UNDER VIRGINIA LAW Next,…”

Sasson v. Shenhar (Va. 2008). · cites it 14× “Nonetheless, to accept the assertion that because the judgment of the J & DR court remained in effect during the pendency of Shenhar's appeal, Sasson could leave Virginia with Ilan and thereafter refuse to recognize the continuing jurisdiction of Virginia's courts over the case,…”

Crabtree v. Crabtree (Va. Ct. App. 1993). · cites it 16× “Moreover, Code § 20-79(c) contains a specific reference to Code § 16.1-296 as the mechanism for an appeal back to the circuit court from the juvenile court to which a decree has been transferred for enforcement or modification of the decree.”

Johnson v. Commonwealth (Va. 2000). · cites it 8× “On June 17, 1998, Johnson filed a motion to dismiss the indictments, arguing that the circuit court had not complied with the requirements of former Code § 16.1-296(B). This statute required the circuit court, within a “reasonable time” after receiving the case from the juvenile…”

Christopher Farrell v. Warren Cnty. Dep't of Soc. Servs. (Va. Ct. App. 2012). · cites it 4× “Moreover, a dispositional order entered pursuant to this statutory scheme is a final order from which a party may appeal in accordance with Code § 16.1-296. Finally, when an appeal is taken to the circuit court in a case involving termination of parental rights brought under…”

Dawn Farrell v. Warren Cnty. Dep't of Soc. Servs. (Va. Ct. App. 2012). · cites it 8× “Moreover, a dispositional order entered pursuant to this statutory scheme is a final order from which a party may appeal in accordance with Code § 16.1-296. Finally, when an appeal is taken to the circuit court in a case involving termination of parental rights brought under…”

Congdon v. Commonwealth (Va. Ct. App. 2011). · cites it 9× “On appeal, Congdon asserts he has a statutory right under Code § 16.1-296(A) to an appeal from the juvenile court to the *695 circuit court.”

Show all 225 citing cases →

— Va. Code Ann. § 16.1-296(1) — 5 cases

Williams v. Williams (Va. 1998). “Code § 16.1-296, [1] in effect on the date that the parents perfected their appeal from the juvenile and domestic relations district court to the circuit court, stated in relevant part: "A.”

Fairfax Cnty. Dep't of Fam. Servs. v. D.N. (Va. Ct. App. 1999).

Austin v. Commonwealth (Va. Ct. App. 2003).

Cartwright v. Cartwright (Va. Ct. App. 2006).

Commonwealth v. Chatman (Va. 2000).

— Va. Code Ann. § 16.1-296(11) — 1 case

Christen Erickson Smiley v. Michael D. Erickson (Va. Ct. App. 1999).

— Va. Code Ann. § 16.1-296(A) — 57 cases

Congdon v. Commonwealth (Va. Ct. App. 2011). “On appeal, Congdon asserts he has a statutory right under Code § 16.1-296(A) to an appeal from the juvenile court to the *695 circuit court.”

Patricia Blevins v. Prince William Cnty. Dep't of Soc. Servs. (Va. Ct. App. 2012).

Sasson v. Shenhar (Va. 2008). “Nonetheless, to accept the assertion that because the judgment of the J & DR court remained in effect during the pendency of Shenhar's appeal, Sasson could leave Virginia with Ilan and thereafter refuse to recognize the continuing jurisdiction of Virginia's courts over the case,…”

Austin v. Commonwealth (Va. Ct. App. 2003).

— Va. Code Ann. § 16.1-296(B) — 2 cases

Johnson v. Commonwealth (Va. 2000). “On June 17, 1998, Johnson filed a motion to dismiss the indictments, arguing that the circuit court had not complied with the requirements of former Code § 16.1-296(B). This statute required the circuit court, within a “reasonable time” after receiving the case from the juvenile…”

Jonathan Gabriel Daniels v. Culpeper Cnty. Dep't of Soc. Servs. (Va. Ct. App. 2013).

— Va. Code Ann. § 16.1-296(C) — 2 cases

Chatman v. Commonwealth (Va. Ct. App. 1999).

Denise S. Lee v. Frederick Cnty. Dep't of Soc. Servs. (Va. Ct. App. 2008).

— Va. Code Ann. § 16.1-296(D) — 29 cases

Keith Boatright v. Wise Cnty. Dep't of Soc. Servs. (Va. Ct. App. 2014). “The [circuit] court erred in denying the motion to reverse and remand the case to juvenile court for scheduling defects in violation of Code § 16.1-296(D). 2. The [circuit] court erred in granting a continuance on January 30, 2014 at the request of the Department and over…”

Braulio M. Castillo v. Loudoun Cnty. Dep't of Fam. Servs. (Va. Ct. App. 2018). “One statutory provision representative of this policy is Code § 16.1-296(D), which provides that appeals to circuit court of cases involving termination of parental rights must receive “a hearing on the merits of the case within 90 days of the perfecting of the appeal.”

Christopher Farrell v. Warren Cnty. Dep't of Soc. Servs. (Va. Ct. App. 2012). “Moreover, a dispositional order entered pursuant to this statutory scheme is a final order from which a party may appeal in accordance with Code § 16.1-296. Finally, when an appeal is taken to the circuit court in a case involving termination of parental rights brought under…”

Dawn Farrell v. Warren Cnty. Dep't of Soc. Servs. (Va. Ct. App. 2012). “Moreover, a dispositional order entered pursuant to this statutory scheme is a final order from which a party may appeal in accordance with Code § 16.1-296. Finally, when an appeal is taken to the circuit court in a case involving termination of parental rights brought under…”

Haugen v. Shenandoah Valley Soc. Servs. (Va. 2007).

— Va. Code Ann. § 16.1-296(E) — 8 cases

Gilman v. Commonwealth (Va. Ct. App. 2006).

Ange v. York/Poquoson Dep't of Soc. Servs. (Va. Ct. App. 2002).

Richardson v. Commonwealth (Va. Ct. App. 1998).

Rhoades v. Rhoades (Va. Ct. App. 1993).

Tina Gilman, s/k/a Tina M. Gilman v. Commonwealth (Va. Ct. App. 2006).

— Va. Code Ann. § 16.1-296(F) — 10 cases

Donald v. Fairfax Cnty. Dep't of Human Dev. (Va. Ct. App. 1995).

Calfee v. Calfee (Va. Ct. App. 1999).

Comprehensive Servs. Act Off., etc v. J. M. (Va. Ct. App. 1999).

Shannon Hough v. Mathews Dep't of Soc. Servs. (Va. Ct. App. 2014).

Div. of Child Support Enf't v. Pierce (Richmond County Cir. Ct. 1997).

— Va. Code Ann. § 16.1-296(G) — 1 case

Donald v. Fairfax Cnty. Dep't of Human Dev. (Va. Ct. App. 1995).

— Va. Code Ann. § 16.1-296(H) — 36 cases

Mahoney v. Mahoney (Va. Ct. App. 2000). “Upon rehearing en banc, we hold the trial court did not err in its ruling that upon failure to post an appeal bond fixed under Code § 16.1-296(H), appellant's appeal must be dismissed.”

Sharma v. Sharma (Va. Ct. App. 2005). “Shekhar Sharma, husband, appeals an order of the Chesterfield County Circuit Court which dismissed his appeal of a juvenile and domestic relations district court order for failure to post a bond as required by Code § 16.1-296(H). Alternatively, he argues the trial court erred in…”

Hutchins v. Carrillo (Va. Ct. App. 1998). “Thus, when father was prevented from filing his appeal bond on June 27 — the thirtieth day of the statutory period — by the early closing of the J & DR court clerk’s office, his right to appeal under Code § 16.1-296 was terminated. B. POSSIBLE REMEDIES UNDER VIRGINIA LAW Next,…”

Frazier v. Commonwealth Ex Rel. Sandridge (Va. Ct. App. 1998).

Steven Lamont Forte v. Commonwealth of Virginia (Va. Ct. App. 2015).

— Va. Code Ann. § 16.1-296(I) — 19 cases

Alexander v. Flowers (Va. Ct. App. 2008).

Commonwealth v. Chatman (Va. 2000).

Anita Shana-Nicole Simms v. Alexandria Dep't of Commuity & Human Servs. (Va. Ct. App. 2022).

Marilyn Dolsey Morgan v. Lynchburg Dep't of Soc. Servs. (Va. Ct. App. 2022).

— Va. Code Ann. § 16.1-296(J) — 3 cases

Kent M. Williams v. Kimberly D. Williams (Va. Ct. App. 2012).

Timothy M. Barrett v. Commonwealth of Virginia (Va. Ct. App. 2015).

— Va. Code Ann. § 16.1-296(a) — 1 case

Stewart v. Dejonghe (Loudoun Cir. Ct. 1994).

Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.