Report of the Special Committee on Criminal Discovery Rules

SUPREME COURT OF VIRGINIA
CHIEF .JUSTICE
CLERK
PATR.ClA L. HARRINGTON
DONALD W, LEMONS
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
.JUSTICES
KARL R. HADE
S. BERNARD GOODWYN
L.EROY F. MILlEiTE~ JR.
WILLIAM C. MIMS
ELIZABETH A. McCLANAHAN CLEO E. POWELL D. ARTHUR KELSEY
CHIEF STAFF ATTORNEY
K. LORRAlNE LORD
REPORTER OF DECISIONS
KENT SINCLAIR
SENIOR .JUSTICES
SUPREME COURT BUILDING
CHARLES S. RUSSELL
ELIZABETH e, LACY
LAWRENCE L. KOONTZ.. JR.
STATE I..AW I.IBRARIAN
GAIL. WARREN
23219
804-786-2251
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA
Supreme Court of Virginia Press Release
Media Contact:
Release Date:
Patricia L. Harrington, Clerk
March 3, 2015
COMMENTS OF CHIEF JUSTICE DONALD W. LEMONS UPON RELEASE OF THE REPORT OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON CRIMINAL DISCOVERY RULES At the direction of the Justices of the Supreme Court of Virginia, a special committee on
criminal discovery rules was appointed. The committee was chaired by The Honorable Thomas
D. Horne, retired judge of the 20th Judicial Circuit. The committee was representative of diverse
interests including prosecutors, criminal defense lawyers, law enforcement officials, academics,
clerks, victims' advocates,judges and members of both the House of Delegates and the Senate of
Virginia. Over an II-month period in 2014, the committee considered proposed changes to the
Rules of the Supreme Court of Virginia, as well as recommended amendments to the Code of
Virginia concerning discovery procedures for criminal cases in the courts of the Commonwealth.
The committee delivered its report to the Supreme Court of Virginia on December 2,2014.
The Court appreciates the leadership of Judge Horne and the thorough consideration of
many complex issues by the committee. Today the report is released to the public for
commentary. The Supreme Court of Virginia neither endorses nor rejects any of the
recommendations of the committee at this time.
Comments on the proposed rules must be received by June 30, 2015, and must be
forwarded to:
Patricia L. Harrington, Clerk
Supreme Court of Virginia
100 North Ninth Street, 5th Floor
Richmond, VA 23219
OR via email with the subject line, "Comment on Criminal Discovery Rules" to:
scvclerk@courts.state.va.us