Legal Question in Civil Litigation in Virginia

Hello--the short answer is yes, anyone who loses in J & D Court can appeal to the circuit court, which hears the whole case all over again, including a trial with witnesses if necessary. J & D is what's known as a court "not of record," meaning literally that no formal record of the proceedings is ever made. Circuit court is a "court of record," meaning there's a court reporter and for a fee you can get a verbatim transcript of the proceedings. From there, a losing party can appeal to the Va. Court of Appeals, and from there to the Va. Supreme Court. All this is costly, of course. I'd recommend you consult a domestic relations lawyer about what you should do. Good luck.