{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/16.1-69.15.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/16.1-69.15.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/16.1-69.15.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/16.1-69.15.html"}],"law_id":61440,"edition_id":1,"section_id":61440,"structure_id":14202,"section_number":"16.1-69.15","catch_line":"Qualifications of judges","history":"1972, c. 708; 1973, c. 546.","full_text":"On and after July 1, 1973, every full-time judge and substitute judge of a district court shall be at the time of his appointment or election a person licensed to practice law in this Commonwealth.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":224448,"text":"On and after July 1, 1973, every full-time judge and substitute judge of a district court shall be at the time of his appointment or election a person licensed to practice law in this Commonwealth.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":14202,"edition_id":1,"name":"Districts; 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failure to do so vacates office","url":"\/16.1-69.17_1\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.17_1","metadata":false},{"id":75117,"structure_id":14202,"section_number":"16.1-69.18","catch_line":"Bonds of judges, clerks, and others handling funds","url":"\/16.1-69.18\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.18","metadata":false},{"id":84267,"structure_id":14202,"section_number":"16.1-69.19","catch_line":"Incompatible offices","url":"\/16.1-69.19\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.19","metadata":false},{"id":73339,"structure_id":14202,"section_number":"16.1-69.20","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/16.1-69.20\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.20","metadata":false},{"id":65832,"structure_id":14202,"section_number":"16.1-69.21","catch_line":"When substitute to serve; his powers and duties","url":"\/16.1-69.21\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.21","metadata":false},{"id":58346,"structure_id":14202,"section_number":"16.1-69.22","catch_line":"Removal of judges and substitute judges","url":"\/16.1-69.22\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.22","metadata":false},{"id":66141,"structure_id":14202,"section_number":"16.1-69.22:1","catch_line":"Temporary recall of retired district court judges; 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exception","url":"\/16.1-69.8\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.8","metadata":false},{"id":75903,"structure_id":14202,"section_number":"16.1-69.9","catch_line":"Judges in office continued; terms of judges; how elected or appointed","url":"\/16.1-69.9\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.9","metadata":false},{"id":81797,"structure_id":14202,"section_number":"16.1-69.9:1","catch_line":"Appointment, terms, etc., of substitute judges","url":"\/16.1-69.9_1\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.9_1","metadata":false},{"id":68869,"structure_id":14202,"section_number":"16.1-69.9:2","catch_line":"Vacancies in office of judges; terms of successor judges; appointment while General Assembly not in session","url":"\/16.1-69.9_2\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.9_2","metadata":false},{"id":72210,"structure_id":14202,"section_number":"16.1-69.9:3","catch_line":"Investigation and certification of necessity before vacancies filled","url":"\/16.1-69.9_3\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.9_3","metadata":false},{"id":82678,"structure_id":14202,"section_number":"16.1-69.9:4","catch_line":"Same; election of successor judges","url":"\/16.1-69.9_4\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.9_4","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":69501,"structure_id":14202,"section_number":"16.1-69.14","catch_line":"Number of substitute judges","url":"\/16.1-69.14\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.14","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":78824,"structure_id":14202,"section_number":"16.1-69.16","catch_line":"Residence requirements","url":"\/16.1-69.16\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.16","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/16.1-69.15\/","history_text":"<p>This law was first created in 1972. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 708 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1972 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 1 time. 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. That modification is as follows: in 1973, chapter 546.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":162043,"object_type":"law","relational_id":61440,"identifier":"16.1-69.15","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.15","url":"\/16.1-69.15\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/16.1-69.15\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.15","dublin_core":{"Title":"Qualifications of judges","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 16.1-69.15","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section><p>On and after July 1, 1973, every full-time <span class=\"dictionary\">judge<\/span> and substitute <span class=\"dictionary\">judge<\/span> of a district <span class=\"dictionary\">court<\/span> shall be at the time of his appointment or election a person licensed to practice <span class=\"dictionary\">law<\/span> in this Commonwealth.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":"                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nQUALIFICATIONS OF JUDGES (\u00a7 16.1-69.15)\n\nOn and after July 1, 1973, every full-time judge and substitute judge of a\ndistrict court shall be at the time of his appointment or election a person\nlicensed to practice law in this Commonwealth.\n\nHISTORY: 1972, c. 708; 1973, c. 546.","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}}