In the federal system, Virginia belongs to which circuit?

• A. First Circuit
• B. Second Circuit
• C. Third Circuit
• D. Fourth Circuit

Answer: (D)

In the federal system, states are grouped into regional appellate courts called circuits. Virginia is in the Fourth Circuit, which also includes Maryland, West Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. This means federal appeals from Virginia go to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, not the First, Second, or Third Circuits. A quick way to remember is that Virginia’s location aligns with the southern East Coast states that make up the Fourth Circuit.