The Local Rules were last amended on January 18, 2023. At that time, new Local Criminal Rule 32 was adopted regarding the nondisclosure of the probation officer’s sentencing recommendation. The Court enacted Local Criminal Rule 32 to codify the established practice that sentencing recommendations from the probation office are considered confidential records and shall not be disclosed to anyone other than the Court except by Court order. The Rule also requires that if additional facts are contained in the confidential sentencing recommendation that were not included in the presentence report provided to the parties and the Court intends to rely on those additional facts in sentencing, those additional facts will be disclosed to the parties prior to sentencing.
Additionally, Local Civil Rule 83.1 and Local Criminal Rule 57.4 were amended as follows:
Local Civil Rule 83.1. The Court amended Local Civil Rule 83.1 to include a separate subsection (D) that addresses federal government attorneys. This amendment allows federal government attorneys from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the Federal Public Defender’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia to appear and sign filings without being admitted to practice in this Court as long as such attorney is qualified and licensed to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States, or before the highest court of any state in the United States, or before the courts in the District of Columbia. Other federal government attorneys representing the United States government, or agency thereof, may appear and sign pleadings without being admitted to practice in this Court as long as such attorney is qualified and licensed to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States, or before the highest court of any state in the United States, or before the courts in the District of Columbia, but any such attorney must secure local counsel by either working with an Assistant United States Attorney assigned to the Eastern District of Virginia or secure local counsel admitted to practice in the Court who shall accompany the attorney in all appearances before the Court and also sign all pleadings and other filings.
Local Criminal Rule 57.4. The Court amended Local Criminal Rule 57.4 to include a separate subsection (D) that addresses federal government attorneys. This amendment allows federal government attorneys from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the Federal Public Defender’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia to appear and sign filings without being admitted to practice in this Court as long as such attorney is qualified and licensed to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States, or before the highest court of any state in the United States, or before the courts in the District of Columbia. Other federal government attorneys representing the United States government, or agency thereof, may appear and sign pleadings without being admitted to practice in this Court as long as such attorney is qualified and licensed to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States, or before the highest court of any state in the United States, or before the courts in the District of Columbia, but any such attorney must secure local counsel by either working with an Assistant United States Attorney assigned to the Eastern District of Virginia or secure local counsel admitted to practice in the Court who shall accompany the attorney in all appearances before the Court and also sign all pleadings and other filings.
Additional Resources
- A list of helpful hints prepared by the Clerk's Office for attorneys and pro se litigants practicing in the Alexandria Division.
- A list of helpful hints prepared by the Clerk's Office for attorneys and pro se litigants practicing in the Norfolk/Newport News Divisions.
- A list of helpful hints prepared by the Clerk's Office for attorneys and pro se litigants practicing in the Richmond Division.
- Code of Pretrial and Trial Conduct