Virginia Government SOL 7a

The form of government of the Commonwealth of Virginia is established by the Virginia Constitution. Legislative, executive, and judicial powers are separated at the state level of government.

The Virginia Constitution distributes power among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the state government.

Legislative Branch The legislative branch is the General Assembly, a bicameral legislature—the House of Delegates and the Virginia Senate—that meets annually for a fixed number of days.

Executive Branch The executive power is exercised by the governor, who is elected for a four-year term of office. The governor appoints members of the cabinet, who oversee specific functions of government.

Executive Branch The lieutenant governor and the attorney general are executive branch officers who are elected for a four-year term of office.

What is a lieutenant governor? A lieutenant governor is a high ranking officer of state, who is often deputy or lieutenant to or ranking under a governor – second in command.

What does a lieutenant governor do? Oversees the state Senate, serves on state boards and takes over if the governor cannot serve. Elected separately from the governor to a four-year term, the lieutenant governor is first in line to succeed if the governor leaves the state, is incapacitated, is removed from office or dies.

What is an attorney general? The main legal advisor to the government. Attorneys General include the authority to issue formal opinions to state agencies; act as public advocates in areas such as child enforcement, consumer protections, antitrust and utility regulation; propose legislation; enforce federal and state environmental laws; represent the state and state agencies before the state and federal courts; handle criminal appeals and serious statewide criminal prosecutions; institute civil suits on behalf of the state; represent the public's interests in charitable trust and solicitations; and operate victim compensation programs.

What does an attorney general do? In some jurisdictions he/she may also have responsibility for: law enforcement and public prosecutions.

Judicial Branch The judicial power is exercised by a court system that consists of four levels of courts: Supreme Court Court of appeals Circuit courts District courts (including small claims courts and juvenile and domestic relations courts) http://www.courts.state.va.us/courts/gd/home.html

What are district courts? There is a general district court in each city and county in Virginia. The general district court handles traffic violations, hears minor criminal cases known as misdemeanors, and conducts preliminary hearings for more serious criminal cases called felonies. General district courts have exclusive authority to hear civil cases with claims of $4,500 or less and share authority with the circuit courts to hear cases with claims between $4,500 and $25,000. Examples of civil cases are landlord and tenant disputes, contract disputes and personal injury actions.

What is a circuit court? There is a circuit court in each city and county in Virginia. The circuit court is the trial court with the broadest powers in Virginia. The circuit court handles all civil cases with claims of more than $25,000. It shares authority with the general district court to hear matters involving claims between $4,500 and $25,000. The circuit court has the authority to hear serious criminal cases called felonies. The circuit court also handles family matters, including divorce. In addition, the circuit court hears cases appealed from the general district court and from the juvenile and domestic relations district court.