State Government Overview

Virginia’s Legislative Body

• Legislative Committee
• General Assembly
• Virginia Council
• State Assembly

The head of the state Executive branch

• President
• Senator
• Mayor
• Governor

The executive officer who could take the place of the governor

• Secretary of State
• Chief of Staff
• Attorney General
• Lieutenant Governor

The person that defends the state in court

• Legal Advisor
• Attorney General
• District Attorney
• Public Defender

The top court in Virginia’s Judicial branch

• Virginia Court of Appeals
• Virginia Circuit Court
• Virginia District Court
• Supreme Court of Virginia

Trial courts that hear major cases

• District courts

• Juvenile and Domestic

• Circuit Court

• Supreme Court

Courts that deal with smaller crimes like small claims

• Supreme Court

• District Court

• Circuit Court

• Court of Appeals

Powers given to the state government

• Federalism

• Concurrent

• Implied

• Reserved

Powers shared by the state and federal government

• Concurrent

• Reserved

• Implied

• Expressed

Groups of people working together for similar interests

• interest groups

• lobbyists

• alliances
• groups