Schedule Civil Motions and Uncontested Divorce Hearings

Schedule a Civil Motion Hearing

In accordance with Local Rule 7, civil motions will continue to be heard on Wednesdays. All civil motions will be scheduled on the Court’s 9:00 a.m. docket and will be heard in person, unless otherwise approved by a judge.

All available hearing dates are listed in the Drop-Down box on the scheduling page. Hearings may be scheduled for up to one hour total.

Counsel may, by agreement, request a remote Webex hearing in writing to the assigned judge, or the duty judge if no assignment has been made, setting forth the justification and reasons why a remote hearing is necessary and the matter cannot be heard in person. Any written requests for remote hearings should be faxed to 757-382-3080.

If a hearing by remote electronic means has been approved by a judge, any written briefs, agreed stipulations, depositions, or proposed exhibits must be exchanged, filed, and a copy e-mailed to CivilMotions@cityofchesapeake.net at least 14 days prior to the hearing. If the proposed exhibit(s) to be offered at the remote hearing total more than 20 pages, a hard copy of all proposed exhibits must be delivered to Judges’ Chambers at least 7 days prior to the hearing. It is the responsibility of counsel/litigants to ensure that all parties/witnesses are prepared to go forward and have the ability to connect or appear in the manner requested.

If the hearing is no longer necessary, by agreement, counsel must inform the Court by e-mail to CivilMotions@cityofchesapeake.net, before 12:00 Noon the day before the hearing.

Counsel must comply with the requirements set forth in Rule 4:15 of the Rules of the Supreme Court.

Scheduling Uncontested Divorces:

An uncontested divorce in which notice is required to be given to the opposing party may be scheduled on the Wednesday 9:00 a.m. civil motions docket following the Court's normal civil motions docketing procedures. Please review the Court's Uncontested Divorce Manual prior to scheduling an uncontested divorce hearing. Forms for Uncontested Divorces can be found under the Divorce Manuals and Forms Section.

To schedule an Uncontested Divorce hearing, please complete the online scheduling form by clicking the "Schedule a Hearing" button below.

Contested Divorce Procedures:

For complete information regarding the Court's procedures for contested divorces, please see the Court's Contested Divorce Manual.

Removing A Civil Motion and Requesting a New Date:

To remove a civil motion from a date on which it has already been set, the party who originally set the motion must notify opposing counsel (or party if pro se) and submit the removal request via email to CivilMotions@cityofchesapeake.net.

The removal request should include:

the date on which the motion(s) are currently scheduled;
the names of the parties;
the names of counsel;
the case number;
specifically which motions should be removed; and
certification that you are the party who originally set the motion.

If a party has set multiple motions on the same date, the removal request should specify which motions should be removed. If both parties have set motions for the same date, both parties must submit removal requests to remove their respective motions. You will receive a confirmation email of the removal of the motion.

To request a new date after having removed a motion, you must follow the procedure for scheduling civil motions.

Requests for Emergency Hearings:

If counsel needs to request an emergency hearing date that is less than 15-days from the date of the request, or a hearing date that is not a Wednesday, counsel should fax a letter requesting the emergency hearing to the Duty Judge (copied to the opposing counsel).

Please include in the letter the reasons for needing to be heard on an emergency basis and the dates and times that both counsel are available. Please fax your request to 757-382-3080. After a ruling is made by the Duty Judge, you will be contacted by the Docket Administrator.

Emergency Hearings are only granted for good cause shown.

Motions to Continue Trial:

A party wishing to continue a trial should fax a letter to the Duty Judge to 757-382-3080 (copied to the opposing counsel) stating the reasons for the continuance and whether or not the opposing side is in agreement with the continuance. If the opposing side is not in agreement with the continuance, the letter should request a phone conference with the duty judge. You will then be contacted by the Docket Administrator concerning the continuance request.

Additional Information:

If you need additional information or assistance, please email your inquiry to CivilMotions@cityofchesapeake.net or call 757-382-3074.