Chap. 301.—An ACT to amend and re-enact Section 1948-a of the Code of Vir-
ginia, relating to referees in juvenile and domestic relations courts in certain
cities, and providing for reimbursement by the Commonwealth of part of the
compensation of such referees. fH B 302]

Approved March 26, 1946

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That section nineteen hundred forty-eight-a of the Code of Vir-
ginia be amended and re-enacted, as follows;

Section 1948-a. Referees in certain courts ; their duties and powers.
—The judge of the juvenile and domestic relations court in any city hav-
ing a population of one hundred eighty thousand or over may appoint one
or more suitable persons, qualified to practice law in the State of Virginia,
to act as referee for the purpose of hearing and determining any matters
or cases assigned to him by the court, to conduct the hearing of the case
and to report to the court his findings of fact and judgment. Any person
appointed as referee hereunder shall hdve the power and the authority of
a justice of the peace in performing the duties of his office. He shall be
subject to removal by the judge.

Each referee appointed hereunder shall report to the court in writ-
ing, unless written report is waived by the court, his findings of fact and
judgment, and his judgment shall become the judgment of the court un-
less exception thereto is taken by any party in interest within ten days
from the date of making such report. Upon the filing of such exception
the matter shall be heard by the judge or substitute justice of the juvenile
and domestic relations court de novo.

The judge of the corporation or hustings court may, by proper order
of record, appoint the referee as a substitute justice of the court, and
may at any time revoke such appointment and make a new appointment.
In the event the referee is not so appointed and in the absence or inability
to serve of both the judge of the court and the substitute justice whose
appointment is provided for in section nineteen hundred forty-eight, the
referee appointed under the provisions of this section shall have the pow-
er to hear and determine cases coming before the court, with the right of
any party in interest to apply for a review of the referee’s judgment with-
in ten days after the entry of the judgment. Such review shall be before
the judge or the substitute justice of the court, and the parties shall have
the right to be heard de novo.

From any final order or judgment entered by the court under the
provisions of this section, an appeal may be taken in accordance with
the provisions of section nineteen hundred fifty-one-a of the Code.

Each referee appointed under the provisions of this section shall re-
ceive such compensation for his services as may be fixed by the gov-
erning body of the city, upon the recommendation of the judge of the
court.
2. An emergency exists and this act is in force from its passage.