In Virginia, you can file to determine or modify child custody or child support in the circuit courts or in the juvenile and domestic relations district court (JDR).
However, filing a divorce in circuit court when there is a hearing on custody or support within 21 days, will divest the JDR court of jurisdiction of a pending support or custody case.
Lawyers use this statute in appropriate circumstances to bring the child support issue to circuit court. When the circuit court concludes a divorce case involving child support, it can order that jurisdiction for any modification of support shall be in the JDR court.