{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/15.2-1603.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/15.2-1603.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/15.2-1603.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/15.2-1603.html"}],"law_id":58488,"edition_id":1,"section_id":58488,"structure_id":14768,"section_number":"15.2-1603","catch_line":"Appointment of deputies; their powers; how removed","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 15-485; 1952, c. 112; 1962, c. 623, \u00a7 15.1-48; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 155; 1972, c. 549; 1976, c. 199; 1979, c. 660; 1997, c. 587.","full_text":"The treasurer, the sheriff, the commissioner of the revenue, and the clerk of any circuit court may at the time he qualifies as provided in \u00a7 15.2-1522 or thereafter appoint one or more deputies, who may discharge any of the official duties of their principal during his continuance in office, unless it is some duty the performance of which by a deputy is expressly forbidden by law. The sheriff making an appointment of a deputy under the provisions of this section may review the record of the deputy as furnished by the Federal Bureau of Investigation prior to certification to the appropriate court as provided hereunder.\n\t\tThe sheriff may appoint as deputies medical and rehabilitation employees as are authorized by the State Compensation Board. Deputies appointed pursuant to this paragraph shall not be considered by the State Compensation Board in fixing the number of full-time or part-time deputies which may be appointed by the sheriff pursuant to \u00a7 15.2-1609.1.\n\t\tThe officer making any such appointment shall certify the appointment to the court in the clerk’s office of which the oath of the principal of such deputy is filed, and a record thereof shall be entered in the order book of such court. Any such deputy at the time his principal qualifies as provided in \u00a7 15.2-1522 or thereafter, and before entering upon the duties of his office, shall take and prescribe the oath now provided for in \u00a7 49-1. The oath shall be filed with the clerk of the court in whose office the oath of his principal is filed, and such clerk shall properly label and file all such oaths in his office for preservation. Any such deputy may be removed from office by his principal. The deputy may also be removed by the court as provided by \u00a7 24.2-230.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":214353,"text":"The treasurer, the sheriff, the commissioner of the revenue, and the clerk of any circuit court may at the time he qualifies as provided in \u00a7 15.2-1522 or thereafter appoint one or more deputies, who may discharge any of the official duties of their principal during his continuance in office, unless it is some duty the performance of which by a deputy is expressly forbidden by law. The sheriff making an appointment of a deputy under the provisions of this section may review the record of the deputy as furnished by the Federal Bureau of Investigation prior to certification to the appropriate court as provided hereunder.\n\t\tThe sheriff may appoint as deputies medical and rehabilitation employees as are authorized by the State Compensation Board. Deputies appointed pursuant to this paragraph shall not be considered by the State Compensation Board in fixing the number of full-time or part-time deputies which may be appointed by the sheriff pursuant to \u00a7 15.2-1609.1.\n\t\tThe officer making any such appointment shall certify the appointment to the court in the clerk’s office of which the oath of the principal of such deputy is filed, and a record thereof shall be entered in the order book of such court. Any such deputy at the time his principal qualifies as provided in \u00a7 15.2-1522 or thereafter, and before entering upon the duties of his office, shall take and prescribe the oath now provided for in \u00a7 49-1. The oath shall be filed with the clerk of the court in whose office the oath of his principal is filed, and such clerk shall properly label and file all such oaths in his office for preservation. Any such deputy may be removed from office by his principal. The deputy may also be removed by the court as provided by \u00a7 24.2-230.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":14768,"edition_id":1,"name":"Local Constitutional Officers, Courthouses and Supplies","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12877,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:49:48","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:49:48","permalink":{"id":153307,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14768,"identifier":"1","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1","url":"\/15.2\/II\/16\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12877,"edition_id":1,"name":"Local Constitutional Officers, Courthouses and Supplies","identifier":"16","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12733,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:58","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:58","permalink":{"id":153305,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12877,"identifier":"16","token":"15.2\/II\/16","url":"\/15.2\/II\/16\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12733,"edition_id":1,"name":"Powers of Local Government","identifier":"II","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12720,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","permalink":{"id":152369,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12733,"identifier":"II","token":"15.2\/II","url":"\/15.2\/II\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12720,"edition_id":1,"name":"Counties, Cities and Towns","identifier":"15.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","permalink":{"id":151279,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12720,"identifier":"15.2","token":"15.2","url":"\/15.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":65970,"structure_id":14768,"section_number":"15.2-1600","catch_line":"Counties and cities required to elect certain officers; qualifications of attorney for the Commonwealth; duties and compensation of officers; vacancies, certain counties and cities excepted; officer's powers not to be diminished","url":"\/15.2-1600\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1600","metadata":false},{"id":85670,"structure_id":14768,"section_number":"15.2-1601","catch_line":"Requirements for officers","url":"\/15.2-1601\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1601","metadata":false},{"id":78193,"structure_id":14768,"section_number":"15.2-1602","catch_line":"Sharing of such officers by two or more units of government","url":"\/15.2-1602\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1602","metadata":false},{"id":58488,"structure_id":14768,"section_number":"15.2-1603","catch_line":"Appointment of deputies; their powers; how removed","url":"\/15.2-1603\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1603","metadata":false},{"id":67681,"structure_id":14768,"section_number":"15.2-1604","catch_line":"Appointment of deputies and employment of employees; discriminatory practices by certain officers; civil penalty","url":"\/15.2-1604\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1604","metadata":false},{"id":56532,"structure_id":14768,"section_number":"15.2-1605","catch_line":"Vacations; sick leave and compensatory time for certain officers and employees","url":"\/15.2-1605\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1605","metadata":false},{"id":79797,"structure_id":14768,"section_number":"15.2-1605.1","catch_line":"Supplementing compensation of certain county and city officers and their employees","url":"\/15.2-1605.1\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1605.1","metadata":false},{"id":58472,"structure_id":14768,"section_number":"15.2-1605.2","catch_line":"Salary increases for constitutional officers","url":"\/15.2-1605.2\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1605.2","metadata":false},{"id":85524,"structure_id":14768,"section_number":"15.2-1606","catch_line":"Defense of constitutional officers; appointment of counsel","url":"\/15.2-1606\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1606","metadata":false},{"id":79074,"structure_id":14768,"section_number":"15.2-1607","catch_line":"Providing legal fees and expenses for sheriffs and deputies","url":"\/15.2-1607\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1607","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":78193,"structure_id":14768,"section_number":"15.2-1602","catch_line":"Sharing of such officers by two or more units of government","url":"\/15.2-1602\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1602","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":67681,"structure_id":14768,"section_number":"15.2-1604","catch_line":"Appointment of deputies and employment of employees; discriminatory practices by certain officers; civil penalty","url":"\/15.2-1604\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1604","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/15.2-1603\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 6 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1952, chapter 112; in 1962, chapter 623; in 1972, chapter 549; in 1976, chapter 199; in 1979, chapter 660; in 1997, chapter 587<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":82997,"section_number":"15.2-1609.1","catch_line":"Number of deputies","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-1609.1\/"},{"id":79946,"section_number":"18.2-31","catch_line":"Aggravated murder defined; punishment","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-31\/"},{"id":72165,"section_number":"18.2-51.1","catch_line":"Malicious bodily injury to law-enforcement officers, firefighters, search and rescue personnel, or emergency medical services personnel; penalty; lesser-included offense","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-51.1\/"},{"id":64628,"section_number":"18.2-57","catch_line":"Assault and battery; penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-57\/"},{"id":85635,"section_number":"53.1-1","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/53.1-1\/"},{"id":80120,"section_number":"8.01-2","catch_line":"General definitions for this title","order_by":null,"url":"\/8.01-2\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":63592,"section_number":"15.2-1522","catch_line":"When and how officers qualify","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-1522\/"},{"id":82997,"section_number":"15.2-1609.1","catch_line":"Number of deputies","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-1609.1\/"},{"id":63359,"section_number":"24.2-230","catch_line":"Applicability of article; certain exceptions","order_by":null,"url":"\/24.2-230\/"},{"id":80797,"section_number":"49-1","catch_line":"Form of general oath required of officers","order_by":null,"url":"\/49-1\/"}],"permalink":{"id":153321,"object_type":"law","relational_id":58488,"identifier":"15.2-1603","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1603","url":"\/15.2-1603\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/15.2-1603\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1603","dublin_core":{"Title":"Appointment of deputies; their powers; how removed","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 15.2-1603","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

The treasurer, the sheriff, the commissioner of the revenue, and the clerk of any circuit<\/span> court<\/span> may at the time he qualifies as provided in \u00a7 15.2-1522<\/a> or thereafter appoint one or more deputies, who may discharge any of the official duties of their principal during his continuance<\/span> in office, unless it is some duty the performance of which by a deputy is expressly forbidden by law<\/span>. The sheriff making an appointment of a deputy under the provisions of this section may review the record of the deputy as furnished by the Federal Bureau of Investigation prior to certification to the appropriate court<\/span> as provided hereunder.\n\t\tThe sheriff may appoint as deputies medical and rehabilitation employees as are authorized by the State Compensation Board. Deputies appointed pursuant to this paragraph shall not be considered by the State Compensation Board in fixing the number of full-time or part-time deputies which may be appointed by the sheriff pursuant to \u00a7 15.2-1609.1<\/a>.\n\t\tThe officer making any such appointment shall certify the appointment to the court<\/span> in the clerk’s office of which the oath<\/span> of the principal of such deputy is filed, and a record thereof shall be entered in the order<\/span> book of such court<\/span>. Any such deputy at the time his principal qualifies as provided in \u00a7 15.2-1522<\/a> or thereafter, and before entering upon the duties of his office, shall take and prescribe the oath<\/span> now provided for in \u00a7 49-1<\/a>. The oath<\/span> shall be filed with the clerk of the court<\/span> in whose office the oath<\/span> of his principal is filed, and such clerk shall properly label and file all such oaths<\/span> in his office for preservation. Any such deputy may be removed from office by his principal. The deputy may also be removed by the court<\/span> as provided by \u00a7 24.2-230<\/a>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nAPPOINTMENT OF DEPUTIES; THEIR POWERS; HOW REMOVED (\u00a7 15.2-1603)\n\nThe treasurer, the sheriff, the commissioner of the revenue, and the clerk of\nany circuit court may at the time he qualifies as provided in \u00a7 15.2-1522 or\nthereafter appoint one or more deputies, who may discharge any of the official\nduties of their principal during his continuance in office, unless it is some\nduty the performance of which by a deputy is expressly forbidden by law. The\nsheriff making an appointment of a deputy under the provisions of this section\nmay review the record of the deputy as furnished by the Federal Bureau of\nInvestigation prior to certification to the appropriate court as provided\nhereunder.\n\t\tThe sheriff may appoint as deputies medical and rehabilitation employees as\nare authorized by the State Compensation Board. Deputies appointed pursuant to\nthis paragraph shall not be considered by the State Compensation Board in fixing\nthe number of full-time or part-time deputies which may be appointed by the\nsheriff pursuant to \u00a7 15.2-1609.1.\n\t\tThe officer making any such appointment shall certify the appointment to the\ncourt in the clerk’s office of which the oath of the principal of such\ndeputy is filed, and a record thereof shall be entered in the order book of such\ncourt. Any such deputy at the time his principal qualifies as provided in \u00a7\n15.2-1522 or thereafter, and before entering upon the duties of his office,\nshall take and prescribe the oath now provided for in \u00a7 49-1. The oath shall be\nfiled with the clerk of the court in whose office the oath of his principal is\nfiled, and such clerk shall properly label and file all such oaths in his office\nfor preservation. Any such deputy may be removed from office by his principal.\nThe deputy may also be removed by the court as provided by \u00a7 24.2-230.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 15-485; 1952, c. 112; 1962, c. 623, \u00a7 15.1-48; 1971, Ex.\nSess., c. 155; 1972, c. 549; 1976, c. 199; 1979, c. 660; 1997, c. 587.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}