The Office of General Counsel provides
legal advice and representation to the Commission and its divisions. It represents
the staff in proceedings before the Commissioners or Hearing Examiners, prepares
orders at the direction of the Commissioners, prepares appellate pleadings
and defends Commission orders on appeal to the Supreme Court of Virginia.
Staff attorneys are generally assigned
to a particular area of regulatory authority within the Commission and handle
cases related to that specialty -- be it utility law, corporate law, insurance
law, securities law, or human resources issues. The division also employs
paralegals, a law librarian, and other support staff, all of whom contribute
to the management of the Commission caseload, which includes 2,000 utility-related
cases annually and substantial workload associated with the insurance, banking,
and securities regulation functions of the Commission.
Individuals interested in the status
of a particular case can get information through the Office
of the Clerk of the Commission. The Office of the Clerk is the keeper
of all records and documents associated with Commission Cases.
Information regarding cases before the
Commission can be found by accessing the Case
Information section of the Commission website. Through the DocketSearch
portal, users can review case documents, access the Case Calendar, check the
schedule of hearings slated for webcasting, or examine public notices.
While the Office of General Counsel is prohibited from providing
legal advice to the general public, it can provide information
both regarding matters before the Commission and of a general
nature. However, if you are seeking legal advice, you may wish
to contact the Virginia
Lawyer Referral Service
sponsored by the Virginia State Bar.