Virginia Governor's Council

Governor's Council
Seal of the Governor's Council circa 1725
Type
Type	Upper house, council of state
History
Established	1607
Disbanded	1852
Succeeded by	Virginia Senate Supreme Court of Virginia
Structure
Seats	8 (1776–1830) 3 (1830–1852)
Length of term	1–3 years
Meeting place
Jamestown, Virginia (1619–1699) Williamsburg, Virginia (1699–1780) Richmond, Virginia (1780–1852)

The Governor's Council, also known as the Privy Council and Council of State, was the upper house of the legislature of the Colony of Virginia (the House of Burgesses being the other house). It also served as an advisory body to the royal governor and as the highest judicial body in the colony. Beginning in the 1630s, its 12 members were appointed by the British sovereign. After Virginia declared its independence from Great Britain in 1776, members were appointed by the General Assembly, and most of their powers were redistributed to the newly formed Senate of Virginia and the state's judiciary. The Council was formally abolished after delegates to the 1850 Virginia constitutional convention voted to enact what became known as the "Reform Constitution," which vested many of its remaining functions in the popularly elected offices of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General.