Va. Sup. Ct. R. 4:15

All civil case motions in circuit court will be scheduled and heard using the

following procedures:

(a) Scheduling — All civil case motions in circuit court will be scheduled and heard

using the following procedures:

1. Presenting the motion on a day the court designates for motions hearings, or

2. Contacting designated personnel in the office of the clerk of the court or the

chambers of the judge or judges of the court.

(b) Notice — Reasonable notice of the presentation of a motion must be served on

all counsel of record. Absent leave of court, and except as provided in paragraph (c) of

this Rule, reasonable notice must be in writing and served at least seven days before the

hearing. Counsel of record must make a reasonable effort to confer before giving notice

of a motion to resolve the subject of the motion and to determine a mutually agreeable

hearing date and time. The notice must be accompanied by a certification that the movant

has in good faith conferred or attempted to confer with other affected parties in an effort

to resolve the dispute without court action. In an Electronically Filed Case, the notice

provisions of this paragraph and the filing and service requirements of paragraph (c) of

this Rule is accomplished in accord with Rule 1:17.

(c) Filing and Service of Briefs — Counsel of record may elect or the court may

require the parties to file briefs in support of or in opposition to a motion. Any such briefs

should be filed with the court and served on all counsel of record sufficiently before the

hearing to allow consideration of the issues involved. Absent leave of court, if a brief in

support of a motion is five or fewer pages in length, the required notice and the brief must

be filed and served at least 14 days before the hearing and any brief in opposition to the

motion must be filed and served at least seven days before the hearing. If a brief will be

more than five pages in length, an alternative hearing date, notice requirement, and

briefing schedule may be determined by the court or its designee. Absent leave of court,

the length of a brief may not exceed 20 pages, double spaced.

(d) Hearing — Except as otherwise provided in this subparagraph, upon request of

counsel of record for any party, or at the court's request, the court will hear oral argument

on a motion. Oral argument on a motion for reconsideration or any motion in any case

where a pro se incarcerated person is counsel of record will be heard orally only at the

request of the court. A court may place reasonable limits on the length of oral argument.

No party may be deprived of the opportunity to present its position on the merits of a

motion solely because of the unfamiliarity of counsel of record with the motions

procedures of that court. A court, however, at the request of counsel of record, or in the

judge's discretion, may postpone the hearing of the motion, or require the filing of briefs

to assure fairness to all parties and the ability of the court to review all such briefs in

advance of the hearing.

(e) Definition of Served — For purposes of this Rule, a pleading is deemed served

when it is actually received by, or in the office of, counsel of record through delivery,

mailing, facsimile transmission or electronic mail as provided in Rule 1:12.