{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/16.1-69.24.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/16.1-69.24.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/16.1-69.24.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/16.1-69.24.html"}],"law_id":66542,"edition_id":1,"section_id":66542,"structure_id":14202,"section_number":"16.1-69.24","catch_line":"Contempt of court","history":"1972, c. 708; 1973, c. 546; 2000, cc. 164, 185; 2019, c. 708.","full_text":"A\n\nA judge of a district court shall have the same powers and jurisdiction as a judge of a circuit court to punish summarily for contempt, but in no case shall the fine exceed $250 and imprisonment exceed 10 days for the same contempt. From any such fine or sentence, there shall be an appeal of right within the period prescribed in this title and to the court or courts designated therein for appeals in other cases, and the proceedings on such appeal shall conform in all respects to the provisions of §§ 18.2-456 through 18.2-459.B\n\nAny person charged with a felony offense, misdemeanor offense, or released on a summons pursuant to § 19.2-73 or 19.2-74 who fails to appear before any court or judicial officer as required shall not be punished for contempt under this provision but may be punished for such contempt under subdivision A 6 of § 18.2-456.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":241488,"text":"A judge of a district court shall have the same powers and jurisdiction as a judge of a circuit court to punish summarily for contempt, but in no case shall the fine exceed $250 and imprisonment exceed 10 days for the same contempt. From any such fine or sentence, there shall be an appeal of right within the period prescribed in this title and to the court or courts designated therein for appeals in other cases, and the proceedings on such appeal shall conform in all respects to the provisions of §§ 18.2-456 through 18.2-459.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":241489,"text":"Any person charged with a felony offense, misdemeanor offense, or released on a summons pursuant to § 19.2-73 or 19.2-74 who fails to appear before any court or judicial officer as required shall not be punished for contempt under this provision but may be punished for such contempt under subdivision A 6 of § 18.2-456.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A"}},"ancestry":[{"id":14202,"edition_id":1,"name":"Districts; District Courts and Judges","identifier":"2","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13142,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:47:16","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:47:16","permalink":{"id":162017,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14202,"identifier":"2","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2","url":"\/16.1\/4.1\/2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13142,"edition_id":1,"name":"District Courts","identifier":"4.1","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12700,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:21","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:21","permalink":{"id":161993,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13142,"identifier":"4.1","token":"16.1\/4.1","url":"\/16.1\/4.1\/","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":74896,"structure_id":14202,"section_number":"16.1-69.10","catch_line":"Number of judges","url":"\/16.1-69.10\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.10","metadata":false},{"id":60380,"structure_id":14202,"section_number":"16.1-69.11","catch_line":"Chief 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":56292,"structure_id":14202,"section_number":"16.1-69.23","catch_line":"In what cases judge disqualified","url":"\/16.1-69.23\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.23","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":66287,"structure_id":14202,"section_number":"16.1-69.25","catch_line":"Judge may issue warrants, summons, and subpoenas","url":"\/16.1-69.25\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.25","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/16.1-69.24\/","history_text":"

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 3 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 1973, chapter 546; in 2000, chapters 164<\/a> and 185<\/a>; in 2019, chapter 708<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":61778,"section_number":"16.1-278.16","catch_line":"Failure to comply with support obligation; payroll deduction; commitment","order_by":null,"url":"\/16.1-278.16\/"},{"id":63958,"section_number":"16.1-292","catch_line":"Violation of court order by any person","order_by":null,"url":"\/16.1-292\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":70926,"section_number":"18.2-456","catch_line":"Cases in which courts and judges may punish summarily for contempt","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-456\/"},{"id":62110,"section_number":"19.2-73","catch_line":"Issuance of summons instead of warrant in certain cases","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-73\/"},{"id":57508,"section_number":"19.2-74","catch_line":"Issuance and service of summons in place of warrant in misdemeanor case; issuance of summons by special conservators of the peace","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-74\/"}],"permalink":{"id":162087,"object_type":"law","relational_id":66542,"identifier":"16.1-69.24","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.24","url":"\/16.1-69.24\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/16.1-69.24\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.24","dublin_core":{"Title":"Contempt of court","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 16.1-69.24","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> A judge<\/span> of a district court<\/span> shall have the same powers and jurisdiction<\/span> as a judge<\/span> of a circuit<\/span> court<\/span> to punish summarily for contempt<\/span>, but in no case shall the fine exceed $250 and imprisonment exceed 10 days for the same contempt<\/span>. From any such fine or sentence, there shall be an appeal<\/span> of right within the period prescribed in this title and to the court<\/span> or courts<\/span> designated therein for appeals<\/span> in other cases, and the proceedings on such appeal<\/span> shall conform in all respects to the provisions of §§ 18.2-456<\/a> through 18.2-459<\/a>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> Any person charged with a felony<\/span> offense<\/span>, misdemeanor<\/span> offense<\/span>, or released on a summons<\/span> pursuant to § 19.2-73<\/a> or 19.2-74<\/a> who fails to appear before any court<\/span> or judicial officer as required shall not be punished for contempt<\/span> under this provision but may be punished for such contempt<\/span> under subdivision A 6 of § 18.2-456<\/a>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nCONTEMPT OF COURT (\u00a7 16.1-69.24)\n\nA. A judge of a district court shall have the same powers and jurisdiction as a\njudge of a circuit court to punish summarily for contempt, but in no case shall\nthe fine exceed $250 and imprisonment exceed 10 days for the same contempt. From\nany such fine or sentence, there shall be an appeal of right within the period\nprescribed in this title and to the court or courts designated therein for\nappeals in other cases, and the proceedings on such appeal shall conform in all\nrespects to the provisions of §§ 18.2-456 through 18.2-459.\n\nB. Any person charged with a felony offense, misdemeanor offense, or released on\na summons pursuant to § 19.2-73 or 19.2-74 who fails to appear before any\ncourt or judicial officer as required shall not be punished for contempt under\nthis provision but may be punished for such contempt under subdivision A 6 of\n§ 18.2-456.\n\nHISTORY: 1972, c. 708; 1973, c. 546; 2000, cc. 164, 185; 2019, c. 708.","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}}