Virginia Beach Magistrate Office
Magistrates are judicial officers of the Commonwealth of Virginia, operating under the supervision of the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Virginia Supreme Court and are not connected with law enforcement
Magistrate
General Information
The Virginia Beach Magistrate Office operates under the supervision of the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Virginia Supreme Court. Magistrates are judicial officers of the Commonwealth of Virginia and are not connected with law enforcement.
One of a magistrate’s principal functions is to provide an independent, unbiased review of complaints from law enforcement officers and residents to determine if there is probable cause for criminal charges. Magistrates may conduct hearings in person and through designated videoconference systems.
In addition to determining probable cause for criminal charges, magistrates may also:
- Issue search warrants.
- Admit to bail or commit to jail following an arrest.
- Issue mental health and medical emergency custody orders and temporary detention orders.
- Issue emergency protective orders.
- Accept prepayment of fines and court costs for certain traffic and misdemeanor offenses.
- Issue civil warrants and order pre-trial levies and seizures in certain circumstances.
Virginia Beach is within Magistrate Region 7, which includes Portsmouth, Norfolk, and the Eastern Shore. A magistrate may exercise his or her authority anywhere within the Region.
Hours and Directions
The Virginia Beach Magistrate Office is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at the Virginia Beach Correctional Center, Building 7C. The street address is 2473 Nimmo Parkway, Virginia Beach, VA, 23456. The Magistrate Office is off Nimmo Parkway across from the Harris-Teeter Shopping Center.
A second office is located at the Second Police Precinct, 820 Virginia Beach Blvd., but that office is not always open. Please call for information on when the Second Precinct Office is open. No appointment is necessary at either office.
Legal Information
A magistrate may provide general legal information, but may not provide legal advice. You should consult an attorney if you need legal advice. The Virginia State Bar offers an attorney referral service. Information on the attorney referral service is available on the Virginia State Bar website or by calling (800) 552-7977 or (804) 775-0808.
The Code of Virginia is available online through the Virginia Legislative System website. The Virginia Beach City Code is also available online.
You should contact the court clerk’s office directly if you have questions about your court date or the status of a case. Case information may also be available on the Virginia Judicial System website.
Contact the Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office at 757-385-7692 for information on jail inmates. Information on jail inmates is also available on the Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office website.