Bill > SB369

This bill establishes a new "business litigation action" docket within circuit courts to handle complex civil cases, aiming to improve efficiency in managing specialized legal issues, intricate transactions, or multiple parties. To qualify for this docket, a case must involve at least $1,000,000 in dispute, present significant complexity or litigation management needs, and fall into specific categories such as corporate governance disputes, intellectual property issues, or actions between business entities. Certain types of cases, like medical malpractice or domestic relations, are generally excluded, though an exception exists for extraordinary circumstances. Either a party's legal counsel or the assigned judge can request a case be moved to this specialized docket, and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia will then assign a judge to preside over it, with the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court tasked with creating the necessary rules and procedures for this process, and the bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2027.