H.B. 822 Child support, etc.; single petition may be filed in juvenile & domestic relations district court.
Status:  Continued to 2011 for study

H.B. 822 clarifies that issues of support, custody, and visitation for a child can be included in a single petition in juvenile and domestic relations district rather than each being filed separately.  By cutting down on paperwork, filings and red tape, H.B. 822 will save money both for the parties involved and for the court systems.

H.B. 824 Melendez-Diaz notice; 6th Amendment rights to be given to an accused who is proceeding pro se.
Status:  Referred to Virginia State Crime Commission for further study

H.B. 824 is designed to provide accomodation for defendents representing themselves.  Under the U.S. Supreme Court case Melendez-Diaz v. Massachusetts, the defendent or counsel must be notified of certain types of testimonial evidence and given the opportunity to confront their accuser.  H.B. 824 would simply accomodate a defendent proceeding as their own attorney, though they may have no formal legal training.