Annual Survey of Virginia Law: Legal Issues Involving Children

Compared with the intensive focus on juvenile justice issues in Virginia between 1994 and 1996, and the significant statutory changes generated by that focus, the past two years have been relatively serene, at least for juvenile law. Legislative activity about juvenile justice has been subdued, and few cases have interpreted the major legislative changes wrought during that three-year period, or their effects. The 1998 legislative session did result in the demise of the family court initially created five years earlier contingent on the provision of adequate funding for the court at some future session. The provision of funding for the court pursuant to that legislation was delayed twice by the General Assembly, initially to July 1, 1996, and then to June 1, 1998.

No action was taken to implement the authorizing act during the 1998 Session of the Assembly and, thus, the enabling statutes lapsed.