Colonial Heights General District Court is located at:

• 550 Boulevard
• Colonial Heights, VA 23834

Court handles: Traffic violations, misdemeanor criminal cases, preliminary felony hearings for Colonial Heights jurisdiction.

Jurisdiction: Independent city separate from surrounding counties. Colonial Heights is bordered by Chesterfield County to the west, north, and east, and by the City of Petersburg to the south, but operates its own court system.

Colonial Heights General District Court hears:

• Traffic infractions (speeding, improper driving)
• Criminal traffic offenses (reckless driving, DUI/DWI)
• Misdemeanor criminal charges (assault and battery, petty larceny, public intoxication)
• Suspended/revoked license charges
• No operator’s license violations
• Underage possession of alcohol
• Hit and run charges
• Eluding police
• Preliminary hearings for felony charges

Circuit Court: Felony trials, jury trials, appeals from General District Court.

Colonial Heights is an independent city in the Tri-Cities region of Virginia.

• Location: Located in the Richmond metropolitan area, bordered by Chesterfield County on the west, north, and east, and by the City of Petersburg to the south across the Appomattox River.
• Regional context: Part of Tri-Cities area including Petersburg, Hopewell, and Colonial Heights.
• Major roads: Interstate 95, U.S. Route 1 and U.S. Route 301 (the Boulevard), State Route 144 (Temple Avenue).
• Population: Approximately 18,000 residents (independent city).
• Proximity to Richmond: About 20 miles south of Richmond on I-95 corridor.

Colonial Heights courts handle high volume of I-95 corridor traffic cases and local offenses with standard Virginia enforcement priorities.

Common enforcement focus:

• Reckless driving by speed (I-95 corridor traffic)
• DUI/DWI offenses
• Suspended license violations
• Retail theft from Southpark Mall area

Judicial tendencies: Colonial Heights judges familiar with high volume of cases from I-95 traffic enforcement and local retail areas. Outcomes vary by specific judge and case circumstances.

Local factors: Being independent city, Colonial Heights maintains own police department with traffic enforcement priorities on major corridors.

Standard Virginia General District Court procedures apply in Colonial Heights.

Traffic and misdemeanor process:

• Check in with clerk upon arrival
• Cases called in order (docket number or alphabetical)
• Prosecutor may negotiate before formal proceedings
• Judge hears officer testimony and defendant/attorney presentation
• Verdict rendered same day for most cases
• Right to appeal to Circuit Court within 10 days

First appearance: Defendants should arrive 15-30 minutes early, bring citation and any supporting documents, dress appropriately for court.

Attorney representation: For prepayable traffic infractions, a defendant may enter a written appearance and waive the court hearing, and an attorney may handle the matter without the defendant present. Criminal charges typically require personal appearance.

Depends on charge type and court approval.

Attorney can appear alone (typically):

• Simple speeding tickets
• Other prepayable traffic infractions
• Where the court permits counsel to appear on the defendant’s behalf

Personal appearance required:

• Reckless driving (unless court grants waiver)
• DUI/DWI charges
• Criminal misdemeanors
• Cases going to trial

Out-of-state considerations: Colonial Heights court may grant appearance waivers for out-of-state defendants on reckless driving charges depending on judge discretion and case circumstances.

Colonial Heights enforcement priorities:

I-95 corridor violations:

• Reckless driving by speed (20+ over limit or 85+ mph)
• Speeding violations
• Following too closely
• Improper lane usage

Local road violations:

• Speeding on the Boulevard (U.S. Route 1/301)
• Traffic violations on Temple Avenue (Route 144)
• U.S. Route 1 enforcement

Other common charges:

• Suspended license violations
• DUI/DWI arrests
• Hit and run from parking lot accidents

Timeline varies by case complexity and charge type.

Traffic infractions and simple misdemeanors:

• Initial court date: Listed on citation (typically 3-6 weeks after citation issued)
• Court session: 1-3 hours depending on docket size
• Resolution: Often same day if no trial needed

Continuances:

• Cases may be continued for various reasons
• Negotiation continuances common
• Each continuance adds 4-8 weeks

Trials:

• Bench trials typically completed in 30-60 minutes
• More complex cases may take longer
• Appeals to Circuit Court add months to process

Required documents:

• Traffic citation or summons
• Valid photo identification
• Driver’s license (if applicable to case)

Helpful supporting documents:

• DMV driving transcript
• Proof of license reinstatement (if suspended license case)
• Speedometer calibration (if challenging speed)
• Character reference letters
• Completion certificates (driving improvement, alcohol education)
• Employment verification
• Proof of insurance

Payment: Court accepts various payment methods for fines and costs. Check with clerk for specific accepted forms.

Colonial Heights General District Court contact information:

• Address: 550 Boulevard, Colonial Heights, VA 23834 (mailing: P.O. Box 3401, Colonial Heights, VA 23834)
• Phone: (804) 520-9346
• Clerk’s office hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM (verify current hours)

Online resources: Virginia Judiciary Case Information System provides case status and court date information.

Attorney contact preferable: For case-specific questions, contact through attorney representation rather than calling court directly.

Court clerk: Can answer procedural questions about court dates, payments, and general processes but cannot provide legal advice.

Need help navigating a traffic or criminal charge in Colonial Heights? Reach out to Weiland Button for a free consultation.