Helpful Virginia Legal Resources
Farmer Legal is here to help you with your legal needs in Glen Allen and throughout central and southwest Virginia. Below are links to resources on DUI and criminal law; divorce and family law; car and truck accidents and other personal injury; business; estate planning; and bankruptcy in Virginia. These resources should answer your basic questions and point you in the right direction for the information you are looking for. If you need advice or representation in any of these areas, contact Farmer Legal to speak to an attorney who can help you in these fields of law.
Virginia Criminal Law and DUI Resources
The Code of Virginia can be found here, including the criminal code and criminal procedure.
Lynchburg Circuit Court – Find general information here such as courthouse hours and location, judges and terms of court.
Lynchburg General District Court – This court hears traffic and misdemeanor cases and holds preliminary hearings in felony matters in the 24th judicial district of Virginia, covering Lynchburg, Bedford, Campbell, Amherst and Nelson Counties.
You can use this service at the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services to search for a bail bondsman in your area.
The Virginia Department of Corrections supervises and controls convicted offenders. Find a friend or family member in the system using the offender locater. The Parole Board, whose website can also be found here, has the power to grant conditional release or to revoke parole or post-release supervision.
Visit the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to get a copy of your driving record, view the points on your record or get general traffic ticket information. Depending upon the number of demerit points you have accumulated, you may be required to complete a driver improvement clinic as part of a DUI driver’s license suspension.
Visit this website of the Virginia State Police to conduct a Criminal History Records Check.
The office of the Attorney General of Virginia defends appeals of criminal convictions, defends the state when prisoners bring lawsuits regarding their incarceration, and conducts certain criminal investigations and prosecutions.
Teens and parents: visit the Virginia State Bar to view or download pamphlets and handbooks on the law, including So You’re 18 and Minors, Alcohol and Virginia Law.
The Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice oversees the handling of youths involved in the courts. Click here for an overview of the juvenile justice process.
Family Law Resources
Virginia’s Domestic Relations laws can be found here, with chapters on divorce, custody and visitation, and other important matters.
The Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement is available to help you receive child support, such as by helping you locate a missing parent who is not meeting a child support payment obligation. The Virginia Department of Social Services can also help through its Division of Child Support Enforcement.
If the marital property in your divorce includes retirement benefits, you may want to learn more about Qualified Domestic Relations Orders (QDROs), which may be necessary to divide retirement plan benefits in a divorce.
The Virginia State Bar (VSB) has a brochure designed to help parents and children cope with the aftermath of divorce. The VSB has also prepared an important video and pamphlet called Spare the Child about keeping children out of parental conflict during a divorce.
The VSB’s Family Law Section has also prepared pamphlets answering general questions about divorce in Virginia and financial issues in divorce. Name change, property rights, support obligations and other matters are discussed in the VSB’s Marriage in Virginia pamphlet.
Personal Injury Resources
Stay on top of real-time traffic and road conditions at VDOT 511 or Virginia Roads, courtesy of the Virginia Department of Transportation.
For information on texting while driving, use of handheld cell phones while driving, and other forms of distracted driving, visit the official website for the U.S. on distracted driving at Distraction.gov.
Information on distracted driving, as well as drunk driving, pedestrian safety and other information regarding safe driving and vehicle safety can be found at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
If you are skeptical of the insurance adjustor’s valuation of your automobile, the Kelly Blue Book or NADA Guides can help you estimate your car’s pre-crash value.
See the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) for regulations governing the trucking industry, including weight, height and width limits for semi-trucks and maximum hours of service for truck drivers to prevent truck accidents from trucker fatigue and falling asleep at the wheel. Trucking company safety records and accident history can be accessed through the Safety and Fitness Electronic Records (SAFER) database.
Motorists and motorcyclists alike can learn about motorcycle safety at the website of the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. In addition, the American Motorcycle Association provides an overview of Virginia motorcycle laws. Another group, Yield to Life, provides safety tips and accident advice for motorists, motorcyclists and bicyclists.
Bike and trail maps for safe cycling and other resources can be found at the Virginia resource page of the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center.
Victims of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and their friends and families can find information, help and support at the Brain Injury Association of America or the Brain Trauma Foundation.
Support and resources for persons living with spinal cord injury and their families can be found at the Darrell Gwynn Foundation, the Foundation for Spinal Cord Injury Prevention, Care & Cure, or Determined to Heal.
Virginia Business Legal Resources
The Commonwealth of Virginia State Corporation Commission is an independent agency established by the constitution to regulate corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships, securities, franchising and more.
Business entities can find services at the Office of the Clerk, where you can perform an entity search or learn about entity formation, forms and fees, annual reports and reinstatements.
Resources for Estate Planning in Virginia
The Advance Health Care Directive Registry is a secure database for storing Advance Health Care Directives, Health Care Powers of Attorney, Declarations of Anatomical Gifts, and other important documents to protect your legal rights and ensure your medical wishes are honored in the event you become incapacitated and unable to communicate or manage your care.
Information about Virginia Advance Directives and health care decision making can be found on this page at the Virginia State Bar (VSB) website. Forms, guides and FAQs can all be found here.
The VSB also provides answers to basic questions about wills in Virginia, including why you need a will and how to create a legally binding will.
The American Bar Association provides estate planning tips for consumers as well as access to past issues of its Probate & Property Magazine.
Virginia Bankruptcy Resources
The Bankruptcy Law Section of the Virginia State Bar has prepared a pamphlet answering basic questions about the Bankruptcy Process in Virginia.
The United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Virginia maintains offices in Lynchburg, Roanoke and Harrisonburg. Visit their website for court information and basic bankruptcy information.
The U.S. Trustee program for Region 4 covers the administration of bankruptcy cases in Virginia. Visit their website for information about the trustee program or to locate approved credit counseling agencies and debtor education providers.
Consumers can find helpful information at the main website for the U.S. Bankruptcy Courts, ranging from Bankruptcy Basics to specific information on Chapter 7 and Chapter 13.
Information on a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy can also be found at the website of the American Bar Association.
