United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
| United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia | |
|---|---|
| (E.D. Va.) | |
| Location | Albert V. Bryan U.S. Courthouse More locations |
| Appeals to | Fourth Circuit |
| Established | September 24, 1789 |
| Judges | 11 |
| Chief Judge | M. Hannah Lauck |
| Officers of the court | |
| U.S. Attorney | James W. Hundley |
| U.S. Marshal | Nick Edward Proffitt |
| www | |
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA; in case citations, E.D. Va.) is one of two United States district courts serving the Commonwealth of Virginia. Its jurisdiction includes over 85 percent of the state's population, including the metropolitan areas of Northern Virginia, Hampton Roads, and Richmond. Courthouses are located in Alexandria, Norfolk, Richmond, and Newport News.
Known widely as "the rocket docket", the Eastern District of Virginia has been the fastest federal trial court in the country for over 50 years. Adopting the maxim that "justice delayed is justice denied" as its unofficial motto, the court aims to complete cases within one year, regardless of complexity. It schedules trials on weekends and holidays and maintains a virtual ban on continuance. The court utilizes a unique "master docket" to expedite cases: rather than assign individual caseloads, when a motion is up for consideration or a trial is scheduled to start, the matter will be handled by whichever judge is available. Judges are assigned only for patent cases and in rare exceptions.
With a jurisdiction which includes the Pentagon, much of the Intelligence Community, and Naval Station Norfolk, the world's largest naval base, the EDVA is a fixture in U.S. national security law, handling a large portion of the nation's espionage and terrorism cases. More than 1 in 5 terrorism charges filed in the United States since 1995 were filed in the EDVA. One of the district's senior judges also presides over the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.
The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia wields one of the largest federal prosecutor offices in the country, staffed by over 300 attorneys and support staff.
Appeals from the Eastern District of Virginia are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appealed to the Federal Circuit.