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The Commonwealth of Virginia celebrated the 400th anniversary of the settlement of Jamestown in 2007. Virginia’s judicial system, the first English speaking judicial system in North America, planted its roots in the 1600s also. Even as the House of Burgesses was developing and shaping the Virginia judicial system, our system was serving as the model for the United States Supreme Court. Many events and individuals contributed to the foundation and creation of our current judicial system. A snapshot of those events appears below.

1606 The First Charter of the Virginia Company
1607 Jamestown Settlement established
1609 The Second Charter of the Virginia Company
1612 The Third Charter of the Virginia Company
1619 Virginia House of Burgesses established
1776 Virginia Declaration of Rights
1776 Virginia Constitution
1776 Declaration of American Independence
1779 Four Superior Courts created (Supreme Court of Appeals, Admiralty Courts, General Courts, and Chancery Courts)
1786 Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom
1788 Supreme Court of Appeals (separated from other Superior Courts)
1788 Constitution of the United States of America
1830 Virginia Constitution (1st revision)
1851 Virginia Constitution (2nd revision)
1870 Virginia Constitution (3rd revision)
1879 100th Anniversary of Supreme Court
1902 Virginia Constitution (4th revision)
1919 Virginia Board of Bar Examiners created
1938 Virginia State Bar established
1971 Virginia Constitution (5th revision)
1972 Public Defender Commission created (name changed to Indigent Defense Commission in 2004)
1973 District Court system created
1974 Magistrate system replaced Justice of the Peace Courts
1979 200th Anniversary of Supreme Court
1985 Court of Appeals created