{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/16.1-69.5.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/16.1-69.5.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/16.1-69.5.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/16.1-69.5.html"}],"law_id":64560,"edition_id":1,"section_id":64560,"structure_id":13143,"section_number":"16.1-69.5","catch_line":"Meaning of certain terms","history":"1972, c. 708; 1973, c. 546; 1975, c. 334.","full_text":"Unless the context should otherwise require, the terms set out in this section shall be construed as follows:\n\na\n\n“Courts not of record” shall mean all courts in the Commonwealth below the jurisdictional level of the circuit courts including general district courts and juvenile and domestic relations district courts;b\n\n“General district courts” shall mean all courts not of record, except juvenile and domestic relations district courts in counties and cities heretofore designated as county and municipal courts;c\n\n“Juvenile and domestic relations district courts” shall mean all courts in counties and cities heretofore designated as juvenile and domestic relations courts or regional juvenile and domestic relations courts;d\n\n“District courts” shall mean general district courts and juvenile and domestic relations district courts;e\n\n“County courts” and “municipal courts” shall be deemed to refer to general district courts;f\n\n“Juvenile and domestic relations courts” and “regional juvenile and domestic relations courts” shall be deemed to refer to juvenile and domestic relations district courts; andg\n\n“Chief judge” shall mean that judge so designated for a term to assume primary administrative responsibility for the general district courts or the juvenile and domestic relations district courts in the district served by such judge.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":234949,"text":"Unless the context should otherwise require, the terms set out in this section shall be construed as follows:","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":"a"},"1":{"id":234950,"text":"“Courts not of record” shall mean all courts in the Commonwealth below the jurisdictional level of the circuit courts including general district courts and juvenile and domestic relations district courts;","type":"section","prefixes":["a"],"prefix":"a","entire_prefix":"a","prefix_anchor":"a","level":1,"prior_prefix":"","next_prefix":"b"},"2":{"id":234951,"text":"“General district courts” shall mean all courts not of record, except juvenile and domestic relations district courts in counties and cities heretofore designated as county and municipal courts;","type":"section","prefixes":["b"],"prefix":"b","entire_prefix":"b","prefix_anchor":"b","level":1,"prior_prefix":"a","next_prefix":"c"},"3":{"id":234952,"text":"“Juvenile and domestic relations district courts” shall mean all courts in counties and cities heretofore designated as juvenile and domestic relations courts or regional juvenile and domestic relations courts;","type":"section","prefixes":["c"],"prefix":"c","entire_prefix":"c","prefix_anchor":"c","level":1,"prior_prefix":"b","next_prefix":"d"},"4":{"id":234953,"text":"“District courts” shall mean general district courts and juvenile and domestic relations district courts;","type":"section","prefixes":["d"],"prefix":"d","entire_prefix":"d","prefix_anchor":"d","level":1,"prior_prefix":"c","next_prefix":"e"},"5":{"id":234954,"text":"“County courts” and “municipal courts” shall be deemed to refer to general district courts;","type":"section","prefixes":["e"],"prefix":"e","entire_prefix":"e","prefix_anchor":"e","level":1,"prior_prefix":"d","next_prefix":"f"},"6":{"id":234955,"text":"“Juvenile and domestic relations courts” and “regional juvenile and domestic relations courts” shall be deemed to refer to juvenile and domestic relations district courts; and","type":"section","prefixes":["f"],"prefix":"f","entire_prefix":"f","prefix_anchor":"f","level":1,"prior_prefix":"e","next_prefix":"g"},"7":{"id":234956,"text":"“Chief judge” shall mean that judge so designated for a term to assume primary administrative responsibility for the general district courts or the juvenile and domestic relations district courts in the district served by such judge.","type":"section","prefixes":["g"],"prefix":"g","entire_prefix":"g","prefix_anchor":"g","level":1,"prior_prefix":"f"}},"ancestry":[{"id":13143,"edition_id":1,"name":"Transition Provisions","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13142,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:21","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:21","permalink":{"id":161995,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13143,"identifier":"1","token":"16.1\/4.1\/1","url":"\/16.1\/4.1\/1\/","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":72621,"structure_id":13143,"section_number":"16.1-69.1","catch_line":"Repealing clause","url":"\/16.1-69.1\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/1\/16.1-69.1","metadata":false},{"id":54169,"structure_id":13143,"section_number":"16.1-69.2","catch_line":"Effect of repeal of Title 16 and amendment of Title 16.1","url":"\/16.1-69.2\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/1\/16.1-69.2","metadata":false},{"id":68096,"structure_id":13143,"section_number":"16.1-69.3","catch_line":"Certain notices, recognizances and processes validated","url":"\/16.1-69.3\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/1\/16.1-69.3","metadata":false},{"id":86865,"structure_id":13143,"section_number":"16.1-69.4","catch_line":"References to former sections, articles or chapters of Title 16 or Title 16.1 as amended","url":"\/16.1-69.4\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/1\/16.1-69.4","metadata":false},{"id":64560,"structure_id":13143,"section_number":"16.1-69.5","catch_line":"Meaning of certain terms","url":"\/16.1-69.5\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/1\/16.1-69.5","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":86865,"structure_id":13143,"section_number":"16.1-69.4","catch_line":"References to former sections, articles or chapters of Title 16 or Title 16.1 as amended","url":"\/16.1-69.4\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/1\/16.1-69.4","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/16.1-69.5\/","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 2 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 1975, chapter 334.<\/p>","references":[{"id":64813,"section_number":"17.1-292","catch_line":"Applicability; definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/17.1-292\/"},{"id":72501,"section_number":"2.2-3703","catch_line":"Public bodies and records to which chapter inapplicable; voter registration and election records; access by persons incarcerated in a state, local, or federal correctional facility","order_by":null,"url":"\/2.2-3703\/"},{"id":84798,"section_number":"2.2-3815","catch_line":"Access to social security numbers prohibited; exceptions","order_by":null,"url":"\/2.2-3815\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":162013,"object_type":"law","relational_id":64560,"identifier":"16.1-69.5","token":"16.1\/4.1\/1\/16.1-69.5","url":"\/16.1-69.5\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/16.1-69.5\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/1\/16.1-69.5","dublin_core":{"Title":"Meaning of certain terms","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 16.1-69.5","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Unless the context should otherwise require, the terms set out in this section shall be construed as follows:<\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

a.<\/span> “Courts not of record<\/span>” shall mean all courts in the Commonwealth below the jurisdictional level of the circuit<\/span> courts including general district courts<\/span> and juvenile and domestic relations district courts<\/span>; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

b.<\/span> “General district courts<\/span>” shall mean all courts not of record<\/span>, except juvenile and domestic relations district courts<\/span> in counties and cities heretofore designated as county and municipal courts; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

c.<\/span> “Juvenile and domestic relations district courts<\/span>” shall mean all courts in counties and cities heretofore designated as juvenile and domestic relations courts or regional juvenile and domestic relations courts; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

d.<\/span> “District courts” shall mean general district courts<\/span> and juvenile and domestic relations district courts<\/span>; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

e.<\/span> “County courts” and “municipal courts” shall be deemed to refer to general district courts<\/span>; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

f.<\/span> “Juvenile and domestic relations courts” and “regional juvenile and domestic relations courts” shall be deemed to refer to juvenile and domestic relations district courts<\/span>; and <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

g.<\/span> “Chief judge<\/span>” shall mean that judge so designated for a term to assume primary administrative responsibility for the general district courts<\/span> or the juvenile and domestic relations district courts<\/span> in the district served by such judge. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nMEANING OF CERTAIN TERMS (\u00a7 16.1-69.5)\n\nUnless the context should otherwise require, the terms set out in this section\nshall be construed as follows:\n\na. “Courts not of record” shall mean all courts in the Commonwealth\nbelow the jurisdictional level of the circuit courts including general district\ncourts and juvenile and domestic relations district courts;\n\nb. “General district courts” shall mean all courts not of record,\nexcept juvenile and domestic relations district courts in counties and cities\nheretofore designated as county and municipal courts;\n\nc. “Juvenile and domestic relations district courts” shall mean all\ncourts in counties and cities heretofore designated as juvenile and domestic\nrelations courts or regional juvenile and domestic relations courts;\n\nd. “District courts” shall mean general district courts and juvenile\nand domestic relations district courts;\n\ne. “County courts” and “municipal courts” shall be\ndeemed to refer to general district courts;\n\nf. “Juvenile and domestic relations courts” and “regional\njuvenile and domestic relations courts” shall be deemed to refer to\njuvenile and domestic relations district courts; and\n\ng. “Chief judge” shall mean that judge so designated for a term to\nassume primary administrative responsibility for the general district courts or\nthe juvenile and domestic relations district courts in the district served by\nsuch judge.\n\nHISTORY: 1972, c. 708; 1973, c. 546; 1975, c. 334.","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}}