Court-Appointed Attorney Certification

In accordance with § 19.2-163.01, the VIDC has developed mandatory Initial Certification training courses for employed public defenders as well as private attorneys who wish to begin serving as court-appointed counsel.

The goal of attorney certification is to provide the most vulnerable clients, who cannot afford to hire an attorney of their choosing, high-quality representation.

In addition to the mandatory Initial Certification training, attorneys must be an active member of the Virginia State bar.  Furthermore, for felony and juvenile representation, an attorney must be able to demonstrate their previous participation as either lead counsel or co-counsel in four cases from their beginning through to their final resolution, including any appeals.

For more details, please select one of the options below. 

 

Initial Certification

Attorneys seeking Initial Certification to accept court-appointed cases, in addition to being a member in good standing of the Virginia State Bar, must satisfy specific training and experience requirements prior to being approved for the Certified Counsel List.

Initial Certification

Re-Certification

In order to remain on the certified counsel list, an attorney must apply for re-certification every two years by submitting the required number of completed criminal law related Continuing Legal Education (CLE) course hours approved by the Mandatory-CLE Board and VIDC.

Re-Certification

Standards of Practice

VIDC Standards of Practice

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FAQs

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

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For further information or questions, please contact

Virginia Indigent Defense Commission at certification@vadefenders.org