{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/15.2-1638.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/15.2-1638.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/15.2-1638.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/15.2-1638.html"}],"law_id":54980,"edition_id":1,"section_id":54980,"structure_id":12878,"section_number":"15.2-1638","catch_line":"County or city governing body to provide courthouse, clerk’s office, jail and suitable facilities for attorney for the Commonwealth; acquisition of land","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7\u00a7 15-686, 15-688; 1954, cc. 49, 264; 1956, c. 329; 1960, c. 145; 1962, cc. 283, 489, 623, \u00a7 15.1-257; 1964, c. 241; 1986, c. 90; 1997, c. 587; 2007, c. 813; 2019, c. 240.","full_text":"The governing body of every county and city shall provide courthouses with suitable space and facilities to accommodate the various courts and officials thereof serving the county or city; within or outside such courthouses, a clerk’s office, the record room of which shall be fireproof; a jail; and, upon request therefor, suitable space and facilities for the attorney for the Commonwealth to discharge the duties of his office. The costs thereof and of the land on which they may be, and of keeping the same in good order, shall be chargeable to the county or city. The fee simple of the lands and of the buildings and improvements thereon utilized for such courthouses shall be in the county or city, or jointly in a county and a city, and the governing body of the county or city may purchase so much of such property, as, with what it has, may be necessary for the purposes enumerated or for any other proper purpose of the county or city. However, any portion of the property owned by a county and located within a city or town and not actually occupied by the courthouse, clerk’s office, or jail may be sold or exchanged and conveyed to such city or town to be used for street or other public purposes. Any such sale or exchange by the governing body of a county shall be made in accordance with the provisions of \u00a7 15.2-1800.\n\t\tThe amendments contained in Chapter 90 of the 1986 Acts of Assembly shall not apply to the City of Virginia Beach.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":201686,"text":"The governing body of every county and city shall provide courthouses with suitable space and facilities to accommodate the various courts and officials thereof serving the county or city; within or outside such courthouses, a clerk’s office, the record room of which shall be fireproof; a jail; and, upon request therefor, suitable space and facilities for the attorney for the Commonwealth to discharge the duties of his office. The costs thereof and of the land on which they may be, and of keeping the same in good order, shall be chargeable to the county or city. The fee simple of the lands and of the buildings and improvements thereon utilized for such courthouses shall be in the county or city, or jointly in a county and a city, and the governing body of the county or city may purchase so much of such property, as, with what it has, may be necessary for the purposes enumerated or for any other proper purpose of the county or city. However, any portion of the property owned by a county and located within a city or town and not actually occupied by the courthouse, clerk’s office, or jail may be sold or exchanged and conveyed to such city or town to be used for street or other public purposes. Any such sale or exchange by the governing body of a county shall be made in accordance with the provisions of \u00a7 15.2-1800.\n\t\tThe amendments contained in Chapter 90 of the 1986 Acts of Assembly shall not apply to the City of Virginia Beach.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":12878,"edition_id":1,"name":"Courthouses","identifier":"8","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12877,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:58","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:58","permalink":{"id":153663,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12878,"identifier":"8","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/8","url":"\/15.2\/II\/16\/8\/","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":54980,"structure_id":12878,"section_number":"15.2-1638","catch_line":"County or city governing body to provide courthouse, clerk's office, jail and suitable facilities for attorney for the Commonwealth; acquisition of land","url":"\/15.2-1638\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/8\/15.2-1638","metadata":false},{"id":77491,"structure_id":12878,"section_number":"15.2-1638.1","catch_line":"Administrative assistants in offices of circuit court judges who are employees of a locality","url":"\/15.2-1638.1\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/8\/15.2-1638.1","metadata":false},{"id":65943,"structure_id":12878,"section_number":"15.2-1639","catch_line":"Providing offices for various officers, judges, etc","url":"\/15.2-1639\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/8\/15.2-1639","metadata":false},{"id":54006,"structure_id":12878,"section_number":"15.2-1640","catch_line":"Renting rooms in courthouse","url":"\/15.2-1640\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/8\/15.2-1640","metadata":false},{"id":58374,"structure_id":12878,"section_number":"15.2-1641","catch_line":"Leasing or other use of other buildings","url":"\/15.2-1641\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/8\/15.2-1641","metadata":false},{"id":82120,"structure_id":12878,"section_number":"15.2-1642","catch_line":"Certain conveyances of courthouse grounds validated","url":"\/15.2-1642\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/8\/15.2-1642","metadata":false},{"id":68081,"structure_id":12878,"section_number":"15.2-1643","catch_line":"Circuit courts to order court facilities to be repaired","url":"\/15.2-1643\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/8\/15.2-1643","metadata":false},{"id":82935,"structure_id":12878,"section_number":"15.2-1644","catch_line":"Petition for removal of county courthouse; writ of election","url":"\/15.2-1644\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/8\/15.2-1644","metadata":false},{"id":69629,"structure_id":12878,"section_number":"15.2-1645","catch_line":"How election held and conducted","url":"\/15.2-1645\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/8\/15.2-1645","metadata":false},{"id":81736,"structure_id":12878,"section_number":"15.2-1646","catch_line":"Certification of result to board of supervisors; procuring land and buildings; relocation to contiguous or nearby land","url":"\/15.2-1646\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/8\/15.2-1646","metadata":false},{"id":74262,"structure_id":12878,"section_number":"15.2-1647","catch_line":"Removal of court","url":"\/15.2-1647\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/8\/15.2-1647","metadata":false},{"id":84668,"structure_id":12878,"section_number":"15.2-1648","catch_line":"Donation of land and money","url":"\/15.2-1648\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/8\/15.2-1648","metadata":false},{"id":84635,"structure_id":12878,"section_number":"15.2-1649","catch_line":"Town may issue bonds to finance donation; election on bonds","url":"\/15.2-1649\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/8\/15.2-1649","metadata":false},{"id":76544,"structure_id":12878,"section_number":"15.2-1650","catch_line":"When and how council to issue bonds; payment of interest; sinking fund","url":"\/15.2-1650\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/8\/15.2-1650","metadata":false},{"id":85541,"structure_id":12878,"section_number":"15.2-1651","catch_line":"When supervisors may issue bonds of county","url":"\/15.2-1651\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/8\/15.2-1651","metadata":false},{"id":84384,"structure_id":12878,"section_number":"15.2-1652","catch_line":"Form of ballots for county election on removal and appropriation; certificate of electoral board","url":"\/15.2-1652\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/8\/15.2-1652","metadata":false},{"id":81259,"structure_id":12878,"section_number":"15.2-1653","catch_line":"Ascertaining results","url":"\/15.2-1653\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/8\/15.2-1653","metadata":false},{"id":63752,"structure_id":12878,"section_number":"15.2-1654","catch_line":"Contest of election","url":"\/15.2-1654\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/8\/15.2-1654","metadata":false},{"id":58199,"structure_id":12878,"section_number":"15.2-1655","catch_line":"No other election held for ten years","url":"\/15.2-1655\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/8\/15.2-1655","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":77491,"structure_id":12878,"section_number":"15.2-1638.1","catch_line":"Administrative assistants in offices of circuit court judges who are employees of a locality","url":"\/15.2-1638.1\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/8\/15.2-1638.1","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/15.2-1638\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 9 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 1954, chapters 49 and 264; in 1956, chapter 329; in 1960, chapter 145; in 1962, chapters 283, 489, and 623; in 1964, chapter 241; in 1986, chapter 90; in 1997, chapter 587<\/a>; in 2007, chapter 813<\/a>; in 2019, chapter 240<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":58374,"section_number":"15.2-1641","catch_line":"Leasing or other use of other buildings","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-1641\/"},{"id":84718,"section_number":"15.2-734","catch_line":"Purchase, sale, exchange, or lease of real property","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-734\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":82693,"section_number":"15.2-1800","catch_line":"Purchase, sale, use, etc., of real property","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-1800\/"}],"permalink":{"id":153665,"object_type":"law","relational_id":54980,"identifier":"15.2-1638","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/8\/15.2-1638","url":"\/15.2-1638\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/15.2-1638\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/8\/15.2-1638","dublin_core":{"Title":"County or city governing body to provide courthouse, clerk’s office, jail and suitable facilities for attorney for the Commonwealth; acquisition of land","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 15.2-1638","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

The governing body<\/span> of every county<\/span> and city<\/span> shall provide courthouses with suitable space and facilities to accommodate the various courts<\/span> and officials thereof serving the county<\/span> or city<\/span>; within or outside such courthouses, a clerk’s office, the record room of which shall be fireproof; a jail; and, upon request therefor, suitable space and facilities for the attorney for the Commonwealth to discharge the duties of his office. The costs thereof and of the land on which they may be, and of keeping the same in good order<\/span>, shall be chargeable to the county<\/span> or city<\/span>. The fee simple of the lands and of the buildings and improvements thereon utilized for such courthouses shall be in the county<\/span> or city<\/span>, or jointly in a county<\/span> and a city<\/span>, and the governing body<\/span> of the county<\/span> or city<\/span> may purchase so much of such property, as, with what it has, may be necessary for the purposes enumerated or for any other proper purpose of the county<\/span> or city<\/span>. However, any portion of the property owned by a county<\/span> and located within a city<\/span> or town<\/span> and not actually occupied by the courthouse, clerk’s office, or jail may be sold or exchanged and conveyed to such city<\/span> or town<\/span> to be used for street or other public purposes. Any such sale or exchange by the governing body<\/span> of a county<\/span> shall be made in accordance with the provisions of \u00a7 15.2-1800<\/a>.\n\t\tThe amendments contained in Chapter 90 of the 1986 Acts of Assembly shall not apply to the City<\/span> of Virginia Beach.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nCOUNTY OR CITY GOVERNING BODY TO PROVIDE COURTHOUSE, CLERK’S OFFICE, JAIL\nAND SUITABLE FACILITIES FOR ATTORNEY FOR THE COMMONWEALTH; ACQUISITION OF LAND\n(\u00a7 15.2-1638)\n\nThe governing body of every county and city shall provide courthouses with\nsuitable space and facilities to accommodate the various courts and officials\nthereof serving the county or city; within or outside such courthouses, a\nclerk’s office, the record room of which shall be fireproof; a jail; and,\nupon request therefor, suitable space and facilities for the attorney for the\nCommonwealth to discharge the duties of his office. The costs thereof and of the\nland on which they may be, and of keeping the same in good order, shall be\nchargeable to the county or city. The fee simple of the lands and of the\nbuildings and improvements thereon utilized for such courthouses shall be in the\ncounty or city, or jointly in a county and a city, and the governing body of the\ncounty or city may purchase so much of such property, as, with what it has, may\nbe necessary for the purposes enumerated or for any other proper purpose of the\ncounty or city. However, any portion of the property owned by a county and\nlocated within a city or town and not actually occupied by the courthouse,\nclerk’s office, or jail may be sold or exchanged and conveyed to such city\nor town to be used for street or other public purposes. Any such sale or\nexchange by the governing body of a county shall be made in accordance with the\nprovisions of \u00a7 15.2-1800.\n\t\tThe amendments contained in Chapter 90 of the 1986 Acts of Assembly shall not\napply to the City of Virginia Beach.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7\u00a7 15-686, 15-688; 1954, cc. 49, 264; 1956, c. 329; 1960,\nc. 145; 1962, cc. 283, 489, 623, \u00a7 15.1-257; 1964, c. 241; 1986, c. 90; 1997,\nc. 587; 2007, c. 813; 2019, c. 240.","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}}