Norfolk, Virginia

Norfolk, Virginia is located in the Hampton Roads region of VA and is named for the Hampton Roads Harbor located at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. The Hampton Roads Metropolitan Area consists mainly of Norfolk, Hampton, Newport News, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Chesapeake, and Virginia Beach. Depending on the political or economic boundaries being described, the cities encompassing the Hampton Roads area can grow to dozens, but these seven are the core cities, and are often referred to as the “Seven Cities”.

If you’re heading to state court in Norfolk, Virginia, you’ll probably go to one of 3 trial courts: the Circuit Court  on 100 St. Paul’s Boulevard, which handles all civil cases with claims of more than $15,000 (as well as claims between $4,500 and $15,000); the General District Court,  located on 801 City Hall Avenue,  which handles civil cases with claims up to $15,000; or the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court on 800 East City Hall Avenue, which hears traffic matters and other cases involving persons under 18 years old.

If you have a personal injury case, your claim will be heard in civil court. This FAQs section gives you information about civil lawsuits. If you are confused about the terms you hear while in court, you may find this list of common legal terms handy. Once you’ve gone through a trial, you may have the right to appeal your personal injury case to the state Appeals Court or the Supreme Court. Both of those appellate courts are in Richmond.

Norfolk (population 234,403, 2000 Census) is VA's second largest incorporated city and is so hot, it is one of the few urban areas in Virginia showing an increase in population.   Norfolk is the historic, urban, financial, and cultural center of the region. Surrounded by multiple bodies of water, Norfolk, VA has many miles of riverfront and bayfront property.  Norfolk is connected to its neighbors by an extensive network of Interstate highways, bridges, tunnels, and bridge-tunnel combinations.

Established about1619 by Virginia Governor Sir George Yeardley, the Norfolk, Virginia area became a Crown Colony of King James I in 1624 after the Virginia Company went bankrupt.  King Charles I granted additional land and decreed the "building of storehouses to receive imported merchandise and tobacco for export". The deep water channels made excellent ports and the protected natural harbor easily turned Norfolk, Virginia into a major seaport. By 1705, the City of Norfolk was chartered and had become a major port for European trade. These close ties with Europe caused this area to be considered Loyalist and lent support to England in the early parts of the Revolutionary War.  In 1845, Norfolk, VA was incorporated as a city in the state of Virginia. By 1854, Norfolk was well on its way to being a major city in the region and opened its first public schools.

Norfolk, Virginia has a strong local economy which mixes urban retail, corporate entities, the military, and its port operations. Downtown dock and warehouse areas have been rebuilt and are thriving.  Many international corporate businesses locate in Norfolk, VA due to the ease of import-export operations offered by The Virginia Port Authority.  Norfolk’s strategic location at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay and its protected deep water channels and ports, serve as major arteries for the import and export of goods from across the Mid-Atlantic, Mid-West, and international destinations.

Norfolk boasts the largest Naval port operation in the world.  Naval Station Norfolk, the headquarters of the Atlantic Fleet; home port for the 2nd Fleet; Headquarters to the Allied Command Transformation (NATO) and the United States Joint Forces Command, is not the only military installation to support the City of Norfolk and the Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC MSA ( U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Area). Other important regional military installations include Naval Air Station Oceana, Norfolk Naval Shipyard (in Portsmouth), Langley Air Force Base, and Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek. 

Norfolk State University offers complimentary degree programs for military and civilian employment seekers. The Norfolk Public Schools are prominent in the nationwide school performance reports and have an acclaimed “Discovering Skills for a Competitive Workforce” theme in their high schools. Other educational resources include an extensive network of 12 libraries within the city of Norfolk, VA.

Traditionally, Virginia Beach and Williamsburg have been the centers of the tourism trade for the region, but the rebirth of the lovely and lively downtown-bayfront Norfolk plus the construction of a cruise ship pier at the foot of the Nauticus complex downtown, has increasingly integrated tourism into the economy. The number of cruise ship passengers visiting Norfolk has more than doubled to 107,000 in 2004 and 2005.  April of 2007 saw completion construction of a $36 million state-of-the-art cruise ship terminal alongside Pier Forty One. Tourists and the cruise industry enjoy its proximity to the city's hotels, restaurants and the Norfolk International Airport.

The Virginia Zoological Societies’ “Virginia Zoo” on Granby Street in Norfolk is a must-see. There’s always something going on in Norfolk, and the Norfolk Visitor and Convention Bureau is at the forefront of promoting entertaining venues for resident and visitors alike. An award winning Chamber of Commerce has an active hand in most of the new and re-development going on in the Norfolk, VA area, including the exciting Waterfront renewal.

Norfolk Virginia Accidents Headlines

BUSINESS BRIEFS (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Virginia wants $7 million worth of safety add-ons to light rail (The Virginian-Pilot)

Marine Denied Recognition Because of How he Died (FOX 5 Washington D.C.)

Automotive (Dawson News & Advertiser)

Business And Careers (Lake City Reporter)

Important Information to Know When Tire Shopping (Northeast Georgian)

Virginia denies Marine recognition because of how he died (The Virginian-Pilot)

TIMELINE - Worst nuclear submarine accidents (The Star)

Worst nuclear submarine accidents (Reuters via Yahoo! UK & Ireland News)

On the record (Lawrence Journal-World)