Court-Appointed Counsel Re-Certification

Court-appointed counsel certification expires after two (2) years. Virginia Indigent Defense Commission (VIDC) approved MCLE courses completed within the past two (2) years shall be used towards Re-Certification. Attorneys may report CLE hours to the commission by submitting a Re-Certification Application.

Re-Certification Requirement Overview

Please see Code of Virginia § 19.2-163.03. Qualifications for court-appointed counsel for a full explanation of requirements.

Misdemeanor / Felony

Requires 8.0 hours of VIDC approved CLE credit completed within the past two years.

Two (2.0) of the hours shall cover the representation of individuals with behavioral or mental health disorders and individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities as defined in § 37.2-100.

Juvenile & Domestic Relations

Requires the previously mentioned 8.0 hours + 4.0 hours of VIDC approved CLE on representing juveniles (12.0 hours total) completed within the past two years.

 

VIDC Approved Courses

Below are some frequently used courses for court-appointed counsel re-certification. Additionally, we recommend you review the Approved Course List to see if you have completed any other eligible courses in the past two years. Compare these with your MCLE records on the Virginia State Bar website.
VIDC Webcast Series - Free live CLE for Certified Counsel
The live VIDC Webcast Series is free for certified court-appointed counsel and offers both VIDC re-certification credit and live CLE credit for the Virginia State Bar. Registration details are emailed to all certified counsel and Public Defender Offices. View our Training Calendar for more details.  *If you have not received these communications, please check your spam folder or confirm that your email is up-to-date in our Attorney Certification System (ACeS).  If you need to update your contact information, please contact Certification@vadefenders.org.
VIDC Video Replay Library - Free OnDemand Credit, No CLE
VIDC Webcast lectures are recorded and made available in our Video Replay Library for VIDC Re-certification purposes ONLY.  They do NOT offer CLE credit.  Please visit the VIDC Video Replay Library on the Attorney Resources section of our website to view our current offering.
  • NOTE: The password for the Attorney Resources website is emailed to all certified counsel upon initial certification and continuously provided in the webcast series registration emails.  *If you have not received these communications, please check your spam folder or confirm that your email is up-to-date in our Attorney Certification System (ACeS).  If you need to update your contact information, please contact Certification@vadefenders.org
External CLE - Free & Low-Cost Criminal Defense Courses
Below is a highlight of commonly attended CLE courses regarding criminal defense in Virginia. These courses are not hosted by the VIDC, but are eligible for VIDC re-certification credit hours.
External CLE - Virginia CLE Approved Courses
Virginia CLE® is the educational arm of the Virginia Law Foundation. A dedicated listing of VIDC Re-certification eligible courses is offered on their website.  See all approved courses at VACLE.org – VIDC Re-certification Page
CLE Sponsors:  If you are interested in submitting a CLE course for VIDC re-certification credit approval, please contact the Certification Department at Certification@vadefenders.org.

Calendar of Upcoming Eligible Courses

Standards of Practice for Indigent Defense Counsel

The Standards of Practice for Indigent Defense Counsel are legislatively mandated under Code of Virginia § 19.2-163.01(A)(4).

These Standards should not serve as a benchmark for ineffective assistance of counsel claims or attorney discipline hearings. Rather, they should serve as standards of practice for court-appointed counsel and public defenders providing indigent defense in Virginia. Failure to comply with these Standards can result in the removal of the non-compliant attorney from the list of counsel certified for court-appointed representation.

 

Compensation of Court-Appointed Counsel

The Virginia Indigent Defense Commission does NOT manage private court-appointed counsel compensation. Per Code of Virginia § 19.2-163. Compensation of court-appointed counsel, counsel appointed to represent an indigent client accused in a criminal case shall be compensated for services on an hourly basis at a rate set by the Supreme Court of Virginia in a total amount not to exceed the amounts specified in the code.  

NOTE: There was a change in statute effective July 1, 2023 requiring a written explanation for waiver denials.

See also, resources from the Supreme Court of Virginia for Court-Appointed Counsel:

CLE Reporting Note

The Virginia Indigent Defense Commission (VIDC) is a separate entity from the Virginia State Bar and does NOT have access to attorney CLE records.  Therefore, it is the responsibility of certified counsel to submit completed courses via a re-certification application.