The Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, located in Norfolk, is a special state court which has jurisdiction over cases involving dependent, neglected and delinquent children and in cases involving crimes—except manslaughter—against a family member.
Virginia
The State Attorney-General is elected by the qualified voters of the State at the same time and for the same term as the Governor and Lieutenant-Governor of the State (a four-year term of office). He must have the same qualifications as the Governor but he is eligible for re-election. His chief duty is to serve as the attorney-at-law for the State; he renders opinions concerning the interpretation and application of laws upon the request of the Governor or of various Department heads, he presents cases to the Supreme Court of Appeals if the State's interest is involved and he represents the State of Virginia before the Supreme Court of the United States. The numerous problems arising in the carrying out of these responsibilities make it desirable and necessary for him to have legal assistants who may aid him in furnishing aid to local Commonwealth attorneys. The State Attorney-General is subject to removal from office in the same manner as judges. His present salary is $17,000 annually.
Local Governmental Units
The State Constitution not only establishes state government organization, but it also includes rules concerning local governmental units which are found in Article VII. Local charters are granted by the General Assembly. The political level immediately below the state government level is the county. Virginia is divided into ninety-eight counties at the present time. The last original county to be created is Dickenson County, formed in 1880. The largest county in the state in area is Pittsylvania with 1,022 square miles and the smallest county in area is Arlington with 24 square miles. Fairfax County is currently the most populated county in Virginia, surpassed in population only by the city of Norfolk.
Legally, a county is a corporation. Its main functions, in general, are the preservation of order, the protection of life and property, the establishment of public schools, the administration of justice, the registration of legal documents, the maintenance of highways and bridges outside the cities and the care of the poor and the criminal.
Counties of Virginia are divided into magisterial districts, the number of districts varying from three to ten. Provision is made in the state constitution that additional districts may be made by law only if the new district contains at least 30 square miles. Each district has one supervisor elected by the qualified voters. Thus, the Board of Supervisors of the county consists of one representative elected from each magisterial district in the county with the exception of Arlington County where the Board of Supervisors is elected at-large from the county. Therefore, the number of members of each Board of Supervisors varies among the counties. A chairman for this group is selected by the members themselves. Their meetings are usually held once a month at the Court House located at the County Seat. The Board of Supervisors carries out various duties such as: (1) supervises county affairs, (2) establishes and levies county taxes, (3) prepares the county budget, (4) audits claims against the county, (5) erects and maintains county buildings, (6) acts as a legislative and executive body by issuing and carrying out ordinances on such subjects as sanitation, health and police, (7) approves saluary scales for county workers, (8) controls county property, (9) furnishes care for the mentally and physically handicapped, and (10) borrows money.
There are five county officials of importance who are elected to office by the qualified voters on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November and take office on January 1 following their election. These officials are: