HB 1485 Virginia House of Delegates · 2026 Regular Session

Court of Appeals of Virginia; maximum number of judges, summary disposition of certain civil cases.

Summary

Maximum number of judges on the Court of Appeals of Virginia; hearings en banc; summary disposition of certain civil cases. Increases from 17 to 21 the maximum number of authorized judges on the Court of Appeals of Virginia. The bill provides that the Supreme Court of Virginia shall prescribe by rule the number of judges needed for the Court of Appeals to sit en banc, and that such number shall not be fewer than 13 judges. Additionally, the bill permits the Court of Appeals to summarily affirm the decision below in certain civil cases.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Feb 2026

House of Delegates Passage

Feb 2026

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 23, 2026 Last action Mar 9, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Courts of Justice Substitute → Engrossed · 5 edits · Feb 10, 2026

MODERATE

The bill was converted from a Senate Substitute to an Engrossed version, incorporating House amendments that added a new section on court rules and summary dispositions. The most significant policy change allows the Court of Appeals to dismiss certain civil appeals without oral argument if the panel unanimously agrees the case lacks merit or relies on settled law. Additionally, the threshold for mandatory en banc hearings was adjusted to require seven judges instead of six, and the mechanism for selecting en banc panels was changed to allow the Supreme Court to set specific numbers via rule rather than a fixed count.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to include the promulgation of new rules of practice and procedure for the Court of Appeals, which was not part of the original Senate version.

SCOPE

Added a new section (17.1-403) authorizing the Supreme Court to establish rules for the Court of Appeals, including procedures for summary dismissal of appeals and truncated records.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the threshold for mandatory en banc hearings from six judges to seven judges to approve a hearing based on a panel dissent.

Removed the provision requiring a randomized rotational schedule for en banc panel selection, replacing it with language allowing the Supreme Court to prescribe the number of judges via rule.

Narrowed the criteria for dispensing with oral argument by removing the option to skip argument if the appellant does not argue for overturning case law.

TIMELINE

Removed the standalone clause setting the effective date to September 1, 2026, likely because the date is now contingent on a separate prior act.

Floor votes · House of Delegates Feb 10, 2026

How they voted

72–14

Passed · 2 other

Total votes 88

Feb 10, 2026

D Democratic53

52 Yea 1

98% Yea

R Republican35

20 Yea 14 Nay 1

57% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Feb 23, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 5-N)

upper

Feb 11, 2026

Committee

Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

upper

Feb 10, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time and passed House (84-Y 14-N 0-A)

lower

Feb 9, 2026

Introduced

Engrossed by House as amended

lower

Feb 9, 2026

Lower · Passed

committee amendment agreed to

lower

Feb 4, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment(s) (22-Y 0-N)

lower

Feb 2, 2026

Lower · Passed

Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) and referring to Appropriations (10-Y 0-N)

lower

Jan 30, 2026

Committee

Assigned HCJ sub: Criminal

lower

Jan 23, 2026

Committee

Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

lower

Jan 23, 2026

Introduced

Presented and ordered printed 26105533D

lower

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor