Fairfax County General District Court: An Overview
Fairfax County General District Court, or as lawyers call it Fairfax GDC, is where most criminal and civil cases in Fairfax County are handled. The vast majority of cases, such as DUIs, criminal misdemeanors, and some felonies start here. Fairfax GDC also handles landlord tenant cases and certain civil claims.
CALL OR TEXT US if you'd like to talk to an experienced Fairfax attorney about a Fairfax GDC case.
Since we've practiced in Fairfax GDC for years. Here's what you might expect when you go there.
Location and Setting
Nestled in the heart of Fairfax County, the General District Court is located at 4110 Chain Bridge Road Fairfax, VA 22030-0458. The mailing address technically includes "Suite 210" in it, but that's mostly because if you mail something to the Fairfax GDC that's where the Clerk's offices are.
Parking is a bit of a pain. If you have a criminal or civil case at Fairfax GDC, plan to arrive at least 20 minutes early. The Court's parking lot is a 10 minute walk to courthouse itself. Then you have to go through security. Don't try to park in office buildings or residential neighborhoods surrounding Fairfax GDC or you'll probably get ticketed or towed. The office buildings are all "private" and the residential neighborhoods require local residential stickers if you're parking there during normal Fairfax GDC business hours.
Types of Cases and Scope
The Fairfax County General District Court handles an array of cases, ranging from traffic violations to civil disputes. The sheer volume of cases can sometimes lead to delays and crowded courtrooms. For example, if you're on the first floor of the courthouse, you're often going to the traffic courts. There's tons of cases going on each day. Plan to be there 2 hours unless you have an attorney who can speed things up for you.
Cell Phones
Unlike some Virginia Courts, Fairfax GDC allows you to bring cell phones in. Judges are not too happy if your phone goes off while court is in session, so don't forget to turn them off. Some of the traffic/DUI courtrooms have cell phone blockers in them, and many parts of the courthouse have little or no reception.
Other Courts at Fairfax GDC.
Fairfax GDC is in the same building as the Fairfax Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court as well as the Fairfax Circuit Court. Fairfax GDC courts are usually on the first two floors. If you have a GDC case, there are lots of electronic bulletin boards on the first floor that should tell you which courtroom you're going to. The screens are a little bit of a pain because they listed alphabetically and rotate fairly quickly. An attorney can tell you in advance where you're going.
What We Do at Fairfax GDC.
We've done a lot of cases at Fairfax GDC. DUI, reckless driving, you name it. We've done it. And if we haven't done it, we'll refer you to someone who has. If you have a case at Fairfax GDC CALL OR TEXT US TODAY for a free consultation.
