{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/16.1-242.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/16.1-242.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/16.1-242.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/16.1-242.html"}],"law_id":54717,"edition_id":1,"section_id":54717,"structure_id":13723,"section_number":"16.1-242","catch_line":"Retention of jurisdiction","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 16.1-159; 1956, c. 555; 1977, c. 559; 1978, c. 740; 1992, c. 509; 2018, c. 656.","full_text":"When jurisdiction has been obtained by the court in the case of any child, such jurisdiction, which includes the authority to suspend, reduce, modify, or dismiss the disposition of any juvenile adjudication, may be retained by the court until such person becomes 21 years of age, except when the person is in the custody of the Department or when jurisdiction is divested under the provisions of \u00a7 16.1-244. In any event, when such person reaches the age of 21 and a prosecution has not been commenced against him, he shall be proceeded against as an adult, even if he was a juvenile when the offense was committed.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":200861,"text":"When jurisdiction has been obtained by the court in the case of any child, such jurisdiction, which includes the authority to suspend, reduce, modify, or dismiss the disposition of any juvenile adjudication, may be retained by the court until such person becomes 21 years of age, except when the person is in the custody of the Department or when jurisdiction is divested under the provisions of \u00a7 16.1-244. In any event, when such person reaches the age of 21 and a prosecution has not been commenced against him, he shall be proceeded against as an adult, even if he was a juvenile when the offense was committed.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":13723,"edition_id":1,"name":"Jurisdiction and Venue","identifier":"3","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12701,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:40","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:40","permalink":{"id":161481,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13723,"identifier":"3","token":"16.1\/11\/3","url":"\/16.1\/11\/3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12701,"edition_id":1,"name":"Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Courts","identifier":"11","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12700,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","permalink":{"id":160945,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12701,"identifier":"11","token":"16.1\/11","url":"\/16.1\/11\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12700,"edition_id":1,"name":"Courts Not of Record","identifier":"16.1","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":160919,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12700,"identifier":"16.1","token":"16.1","url":"\/16.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":71312,"structure_id":13723,"section_number":"16.1-241","catch_line":"Jurisdiction; consent for abortion","url":"\/16.1-241\/","token":"16.1\/11\/3\/16.1-241","metadata":false},{"id":56537,"structure_id":13723,"section_number":"16.1-241.1","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/16.1-241.1\/","token":"16.1\/11\/3\/16.1-241.1","metadata":false},{"id":64854,"structure_id":13723,"section_number":"16.1-241.2","catch_line":"Proceedings against certain parents","url":"\/16.1-241.2\/","token":"16.1\/11\/3\/16.1-241.2","metadata":false},{"id":69856,"structure_id":13723,"section_number":"16.1-241.3","catch_line":"Newborn children; substance abuse","url":"\/16.1-241.3\/","token":"16.1\/11\/3\/16.1-241.3","metadata":false},{"id":54717,"structure_id":13723,"section_number":"16.1-242","catch_line":"Retention of jurisdiction","url":"\/16.1-242\/","token":"16.1\/11\/3\/16.1-242","metadata":false},{"id":83429,"structure_id":13723,"section_number":"16.1-242.1","catch_line":"Retention of jurisdiction; appeals involving children in foster care","url":"\/16.1-242.1\/","token":"16.1\/11\/3\/16.1-242.1","metadata":false},{"id":71654,"structure_id":13723,"section_number":"16.1-243","catch_line":"Venue","url":"\/16.1-243\/","token":"16.1\/11\/3\/16.1-243","metadata":false},{"id":60259,"structure_id":13723,"section_number":"16.1-244","catch_line":"Concurrent jurisdiction; exceptions","url":"\/16.1-244\/","token":"16.1\/11\/3\/16.1-244","metadata":false},{"id":69416,"structure_id":13723,"section_number":"16.1-245","catch_line":"Transfer from other courts","url":"\/16.1-245\/","token":"16.1\/11\/3\/16.1-245","metadata":false},{"id":59845,"structure_id":13723,"section_number":"16.1-245.1","catch_line":"Medical evidence admissible in juvenile and domestic relations district court","url":"\/16.1-245.1\/","token":"16.1\/11\/3\/16.1-245.1","metadata":false},{"id":72275,"structure_id":13723,"section_number":"16.1-245.2","catch_line":"Evidence of medical reports, statements, or records; testimony of health care provider or custodian of records in juvenile and domestic relations district court; custody, visitation, placement, and support cases","url":"\/16.1-245.2\/","token":"16.1\/11\/3\/16.1-245.2","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":69856,"structure_id":13723,"section_number":"16.1-241.3","catch_line":"Newborn children; substance abuse","url":"\/16.1-241.3\/","token":"16.1\/11\/3\/16.1-241.3","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":83429,"structure_id":13723,"section_number":"16.1-242.1","catch_line":"Retention of jurisdiction; appeals involving children in foster care","url":"\/16.1-242.1\/","token":"16.1\/11\/3\/16.1-242.1","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/16.1-242\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 5 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 1956, chapter 555; in 1977, chapter 559; in 1978, chapter 740; in 1992, chapter 509; in 2018, chapter 656<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":68644,"section_number":"16.1-259","catch_line":"Procedure in cases of adults","order_by":null,"url":"\/16.1-259\/"},{"id":83191,"section_number":"9.1-151","catch_line":"Court-Appointed Special Advocate Program; appointment of advisory committee","order_by":null,"url":"\/9.1-151\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":60259,"section_number":"16.1-244","catch_line":"Concurrent jurisdiction; exceptions","order_by":null,"url":"\/16.1-244\/"}],"permalink":{"id":161499,"object_type":"law","relational_id":54717,"identifier":"16.1-242","token":"16.1\/11\/3\/16.1-242","url":"\/16.1-242\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/16.1-242\/","token":"16.1\/11\/3\/16.1-242","dublin_core":{"Title":"Retention of jurisdiction","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 16.1-242","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

When jurisdiction<\/span> has been obtained by the court<\/span> in the case of any child, such jurisdiction<\/span>, which includes the authority to suspend, reduce, modify, or dismiss the disposition<\/span> of any juvenile adjudication, may be retained by the court<\/span> until such person becomes 21 years of age, except when the person is in the custody<\/span> of the Department<\/span> or when jurisdiction<\/span> is divested under the provisions of \u00a7 16.1-244<\/a>. In any event, when such person reaches the age of 21 and a prosecution<\/span> has not been commenced against him, he shall be proceeded against as an adult<\/span>, even if he was a juvenile when the offense<\/span> was committed.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nRETENTION OF JURISDICTION (\u00a7 16.1-242)\n\nWhen jurisdiction has been obtained by the court in the case of any child, such\njurisdiction, which includes the authority to suspend, reduce, modify, or\ndismiss the disposition of any juvenile adjudication, may be retained by the\ncourt until such person becomes 21 years of age, except when the person is in\nthe custody of the Department or when jurisdiction is divested under the\nprovisions of \u00a7 16.1-244. In any event, when such person reaches the age of 21\nand a prosecution has not been commenced against him, he shall be proceeded\nagainst as an adult, even if he was a juvenile when the offense was committed.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 16.1-159; 1956, c. 555; 1977, c. 559; 1978, c. 740; 1992,\nc. 509; 2018, c. 656.","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}}