Docket Information

See the June 6, 2022, Loudoun County Circuit Court Resumption of Operations Plan and Order (PDF) before filing your praecipe.

Forms

• Civil motions praecipe (PDF)
• Civil phone scheduling praecipe (PDF)

Circuit Court 2022 Schedule (PDF)

Civil Scheduling

• Civil scheduling is held Monday and Tuesday (except holidays) at 9:00 a.m.
• All civil scheduling matters are conducted by telephone by calling 571-258-3708. Counsel and self-represented parties are expected to call in and remain in the telephone queue until their call is answered. There is no in person scheduling option.
  • PLEASE NOTE: Scheduling by phone begins at 9:00 a.m. All calls placed prior to 9:00 a.m. will not go into the queue and will not be answered. 
  • The Docket Manager will wait 10 minutes after answering the final call in the queue before logging out.
• All praecipes for the scheduling docket must be filed with the Civil Division at least 7 calendar days prior to the proposed date for the matter to be heard by the Circuit Court. Failure to timely file a praecipe will result in the matter not being placed on the requested docket.
  • If the deadline falls on a Saturday, the deadline to file the praecipe will be the prior business day (Friday).

Civil Motions Day

• Civil motions are heard on the 1st, 3rd and 4th Friday of each month. 
• Motions are scheduled as follows:
  • 9:00 a.m. – Uncontested civil motions, Agreed orders, & Returns on Rules to Show Cause (2 mins or less)
  • 10:00 a.m. – Contested non-domestic motions
  • 2:00 p.m. – Contested domestic-related motions, Pende lite motions, ore tenus divorce proceedings
• All praecipes must be filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court at least 14 calendar days prior to the proposed date for the matter to be heard by the Circuit Court. Failure to timely file a praecipe will result in the matter not being placed on the requested docket.
• A motion shall concisely set forth only the facts relied upon and the relief requested (i.e., no authority) and shall be filed at least 14 days prior to the scheduled motions day. 
•  Briefs must accompany a motion.
• If the motion is contested, responses to motions must be filed at least 7 days prior to the scheduled motion.   

• Time Limit

  • All motions are expected not to exceed a total of 20 minutes per case, except pendente lite motions.
  • If believed to exceed 20 minutes, a time estimate should be noted on the praecipe and/or in the opposition brief.
    • Motions exceeding 20 minutes may be heard on the Friday Motions Docket, or may be specially set, in the discretion of the presiding judge.
  • A movant/party is limited to one motion per case on a given motions day.

• Pendente Lite Motions

  • Pendente Lite hearings are not for custody and parenting time (i.e., visitation) disputes. If parties wish to have custody and visitation matters decided, they may request a final hearing at a civil scheduling docket, which the Court will endeavor to expedite on its calendar.
  • Exhibits
  • Both parties shall exchange all exhibits no later than 7 days prior to the hearing. Exhibits that are not timely exchanged shall not be considered.
  • Exhibits should include, if applicable, a party’s most recent W2 or 1099, the last two pay statements, evidence of periodic health insurance paid on behalf of the child(ren), evidence of work-related childcare expenses, an income and expense statement, and a completed proposed support guideline worksheet.  
  • Pendente lite motions will be allocated 30 minutes as follows: moving party’s testimony proffered (5 minutes); cross-examination of moving party (5 minutes); responding party’s testimony proffered (5 minutes); cross examination of responding party (5 minutes); 10 minutes reserved for any questions from the Court, review of exhibits, and ruling.  The time limits herein will be strictly enforced.   
  • Parties are strongly encouraged to file written stipulations as part of their exhibit filings.

• Motions to Compel

  • In all motions to compel discovery responses, and oppositions thereto, the parties shall file an excel-type spreadsheet.  
  • The spreadsheet shall identify at a minimum: 
    • (a) the verbatim interrogatory, document request and/or request for admission at issue; 
    • (b) the responding party’s verbatim answer and/or objection; and 
    • (c) a summary of the moving party’s basis for requesting an order to compel.  
  • The spreadsheet shall be filed with the motion at least 14 days prior to argument on the motion. An opposition spreadsheet shall be filed at least 7 days prior to argument on the motions.  
  • Parties are strongly encouraged, but not required, to file a joint spreadsheet 14 days prior to argument on the motion. The spreadsheet requirement shall take the place of the briefing requirement.

• Guardian Ad Litem Reports

  • Guardian ad Litem reports in guardianship, conservatorship and infant settlement cases shall be filed at least 7 days prior to the hearing. Failure to file the Guardian ad Litem report in a timely manner will result in the case being removed from the docket or rescheduled. 
  • Movants in a guardianship, conservatorship or infant settlement case are strongly encouraged to communicate with the Guardian ad Litem to ensure the report will be timely filed in anticipation of the scheduled hearing date.

Civil Trial Information

Please review the Loudoun County Circuit Court Resumption of Operations Plan and Order (PDF) dated June 6, 2022, for information pertaining to bench trials, jury trials, trial exhibits and appeals.