Courts and Legal Services

Courts and Legal Services

The Stafford County judicial system is comprised of three courts: the Circuit Court, the General District Court and the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court. The aim of the Stafford County judicial system is to assure that disputes are resolved justly and responsively through a court system unified in its structures and administration and to provide the citizens with the best possible judicial system. Our goal for the web site is to provide information on, and expand the citizens’ access to, the judicial system.

Circuit Court
Barbara Decatur, Clerk - bdecatur@co.stafford.va.us
(540) 658-8750 - Main Number
(540) 658-8752 - Land Records

Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court
J. Thompson, Clerk - jthompson@courts.state.va.us
(540) 658-8775 - Main Automated Number
(540) 658-8773 - If other line is busy

General District Court
Nicole B. McGuire, Clerk - nmcguire@courts.state.va.us
(540) 658-8766 - recorded information on Court location, address, hours of operation, costs of traffic fines and civil filings.
(540) 658-8935 or 8048 - Traffic and Criminal
(540) 658-4641 or 4642 - Information on Civil Cases.

Useful Court Information:

Directions to the Administration and Judicial Center.
One court may not answer for another. They operate by law separately.
Only the judge can excuse someone from court. Even if they talk to a clerk, the clerk cannot give permission for someone who is supposed to be there to be absent.
People may fax doctor's letters, etc., to the courts but only the judge can excuse their presence.
Fax numbers:
    General District Court - 540-658-4834
    Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court - 540-658-8767

Commonwealth's Attorney
Office of the Sheriff
Rappahannock Legal Services (Legal Aid)
Lawyer Referral Service