Circuit Court Clerk's Office

Civil cases are disputes between individuals or entities or groups of individuals or entities. Typical civil disputes are ones in which monetary damages are sought stemming from tort (civil wrong) or breach of contract. Not all civil cases stem from monetary or contract disputes. Examples include but are not limited to divorce, annulment, adoption, partition of real estate, will and estate matters, name changes, appointments of church trustees and encumbrance or conveyance of church property.

The Circuit Court serves as the appellate court in civil cases appealed from the General District Court. Likewise the Circuit Court serves as the appellate court in civil (domestic relations) cases appealed from the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court. These typically are child support, custody and visitation matters.

In civil cases where monetary claims range from $4,500 to $25,000 the Circuit Court has concurrent jurisdiction with the General District Court. Monetary disputes involving more than $25,000 fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Circuit Court.

Filing Requirements: A Prince William Civil Cover Sheet must be used for all initial filings. Please include your email address. A Service Request Form is required also.

Unlike the two District Courts, the Circuit Court does not typically provide “forms” for use by litigants in filing civil suits. Attorneys or pro se parties are to prepare the legal documents needed to file a suit. When filing a civil case in the Circuit Court, the filing party is responsible for ensuring that all pleadings are prepared in accordance with the Code of Virginia and Rules of the Virginia Supreme Court. Hence, it is strongly recommended that the services of an attorney be employed when filing a civil action at the Circuit Court level.

NOTE: Clerk’s Office personnel are strictly prohibited from providing legal advice. We strongly suggest that you seek legal assistance from an attorney.

You can send an e-mail to the Circuit Court; or You can call 703-792-6029. The Clerks are very busy with walk-in customers and may not be able to answer the phone. Please leave a detailed message and speak slowly when you give your phone number. We answer e-mails and phone calls usually by the next business day; e-mails received after 3:30 p.m. are considered received the following day.

If your question is about the status of a case please go to our case management system.

It is the same site the Clerk’s Office would look at to answer your question. The information is current.

If there is no service, service may not have been requested. A Service Request Form must be used. If there is no service return, the service may not have been returned to the Clerk's Office yet.

Complete the Change of Address Notice and mail it to: Prince William County Circuit Court, Room 314, 9311 Lee Avenue, Manassas, VA 20110.

Please make sure you sign it. Also provide the case number if at all possible.

The Prince William County Circuit Court in it’s discretion may order a case to be struck from the docket without any notice to the parties if there has been no order or proceeding except to continue it after three years. Cases can be dismissed by the Court for inactivity sooner than that but notice is required.

An order signed by the Judge must be entered before the bond can be released. The order should state the amount and name, address and telephone number to whom the bond should be released. For questions about the status of a bond release, e-mail the Circuit Court

In civil cases of a domestic relations nature, the Circuit Court has exclusive jurisdiction in divorce and annulment matters including property settlement/equitable distribution of marital assets. Matters involving child support, custody and visitation may or may not originate in the Circuit Court depending on various factors.

• If there is an open divorce case, these matters most likely will be heard in Circuit Court.
• If there is an open divorce case, these matters most likely will be heard in Circuit Court.
• Protective orders are usually processed in Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court.

Bankruptcy, including the appointment of a receiver, would occur in the federal bankruptcy court in Alexandria.

Typically the transfer of cases to a lower court or to another locality will occur within 21 days of the entry of the final order.

If an interpreter is needed for a civil court appearance, fill out the Interpreter Request Form for Civil Proceedings and file it in Room 314 or call 703-792-6927

Circuit Court does not provide transcripts. If a transcript is needed, one or both of the parties would need to hire a court reporter.

There are several Public Parking Lots and Spaces available to patrons of the Judicial Center located at the following streets:

Mosby St.
Peabody St.
Lee Ave.
Church St. 

For the Court's Public Parking Locations Map, please CLICK HERE.