The Richmond region is a mix of an older core city and large suburban counties. The Census Bureau's 2025 estimates put Chesterfield County at 397,148 residents, more than the independent City of Richmond at 237,257. Henrico, Hanover and the Tri-Cities of Petersburg, Hopewell and Colonial Heights round out the metro. Buyers, renters and borrowers across these places depend on accurate credit reports.
A single wrong entry can change the outcome of a mortgage, car loan or apartment application. Common problems include debts that were paid or discharged still showing as owed, accounts that belong to someone with a similar name, identity theft accounts, and late payments that never happened. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, you can dispute errors with Equifax, Experian or TransUnion. The bureau must reinvestigate, and the creditor that reported the item must investigate once the bureau forwards the dispute.
When a bureau or creditor ignores a valid dispute, an FCRA claim from this metro can be filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. The court's Richmond Division covers the City of Richmond, the Tri-Cities and the surrounding counties, and it sits at 701 East Broad Street in downtown Richmond. FCRA claims may also be filed in Virginia state court.
Where Richmond FCRA cases are filed
FCRA claims are federal, so they go to a United States District Court. Cases from Richmond are heard in one federal district:
- Eastern District of VirginiaThe Richmond Division, which includes the cities of Richmond, Petersburg, Hopewell and Colonial Heights and the counties of Chesterfield, Henrico, Hanover, Prince George, Powhatan, Goochland, Dinwiddie, New Kent, Amelia and Charles City. Courthouses: Richmond.Filed with local or cooperating counsel
Our attorneys are licensed in Texas, California, and Georgia. Where they aren't admitted in your local federal court, we work with local or cooperating counsel who are. You may also be able to sue where the company that reported you is based, in a court where our attorneys are admitted:
- Experian: HQ in C.D. California · Dispute Processing in E.D. Texas · Offices in N.D. Illinois
- Equifax: HQ in N.D. Georgia
- TransUnion: HQ in N.D. Illinois
- Santander Consumer: HQ in N.D. Texas
Which court is right depends on your facts. We'll tell you at your free case review.
Local and state rules in Richmond
- City of Richmond ban-the-box ordinance (city employment) (Richmond Ord. No. 2013-040-43 (adopted Mar. 25, 2013), adding City Code § 2-1119)
Richmond City Council added a City Code section that bars questions about an applicant's criminal conviction history on initial applications for City of Richmond jobs. It applies to the city as an employer, not to private employers. A companion resolution, Res. No. 2013-R087-85, exempted certain positions. Read it
State law also applies: see Credit Report Error Lawsuits in Virginia.
Common credit report errors
- Accounts that aren't yours, including mixed-file and identity theft accounts
- Late payments you didn't make, or payments not credited
- Paid, settled or discharged debts still shown as owed
- Collections reported past the seven-year limit or re-aged
- A deceased indicator on a living person's file
Learn how these cases work on our credit report lawsuits page, or read our lawsuit guides for Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
Frequently asked questions
Which federal court hears credit reporting cases from Chesterfield, Henrico or Hanover?
These counties are in the Richmond Division of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. The courthouse is at 701 East Broad Street in Richmond. The same division also covers the cities of Richmond, Petersburg, Hopewell and Colonial Heights.
I live in Petersburg and a collection account on my report is not mine. What can I do?
You can dispute the account with each credit bureau that reports it and include proof, such as an identity theft report or account records. The bureau must reinvestigate and the collector must investigate after the bureau forwards the dispute. If the account stays on your report without a real investigation, you may have a claim under the FCRA.
How long do I have to bring an FCRA claim in Virginia?
Under federal law, an FCRA claim generally must be filed within two years after you discover the violation and no more than five years after it occurred. That deadline applies whether the case is filed in the Eastern District of Virginia or in a Virginia state court. Keeping copies of your disputes and the bureau's responses can help show when you learned of the problem.
How long do I have to file an FCRA lawsuit in Richmond?
FCRA deadlines are the same everywhere: generally two years from when you discover the violation, and no more than five years from when it happened (15 U.S.C. § 1681p). Waiting can cost you the claim.
Sources
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
- E.D. Va. divisions by city and county
- 28 U.S.C. § 127 (Virginia judicial districts)
- U.S. Census Bureau, Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Area population estimates
- Richmond City Council, Ord. No. 2013-040-43
- Richmond City Council, Res. No. 2013-R087-85
- Va. Code § 2.2-2812.1
- Va. Code § 19.2-392.4
- Va. Code § 36-96.3
- Va. Code § 36-96.1:1
- Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1681 et seq.
Updated November 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice.