{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/16.1-69.9_4.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/16.1-69.9_4.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/16.1-69.9_4.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/16.1-69.9_4.html"}],"law_id":82678,"edition_id":1,"section_id":82678,"structure_id":14202,"section_number":"16.1-69.9:4","catch_line":"Same; election of successor judges","history":"1973, c. 546; 1993, c. 368; 2004, c. 452; 2018, c. 578.","full_text":"Whenever a vacancy occurs or exists in the office of a full-time district judge while the General Assembly is in session, or whenever the term of a full-time judge of a district court will expire or the office will be vacated at a date certain between the adjournment of the General Assembly and the commencement of the next session of the General Assembly, a successor judge may be elected at any time during a session preceding the date of such vacancy, by the vote of a majority of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly, for a full term of six years and, upon qualification, the successor judge shall enter at once upon the discharge of the duties of his office. However, such successor judge shall not enter upon the discharge of his duties prior to the commencement of his term of office. No person shall be elected or reelected to a subsequent term under this section until he has submitted to a criminal history record search and submitted to a search of the central registry maintained pursuant to \u00a7 63.2-1515 for any founded complaint of child abuse or neglect and reports of such searches have been received by the Chairmen of the House and Senate Committees for Courts of Justice. If the person has not met the requirement of filing in the preceding calendar year a disclosure form prescribed in \u00a7 2.2-3117 or 30-111, he shall also provide a written statement of economic interests on the disclosure form prescribed in \u00a7 2.2-3117 to the Chairmen of the House and Senate Committees for Courts of Justice.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":296173,"text":"Whenever a vacancy occurs or exists in the office of a full-time district judge while the General Assembly is in session, or whenever the term of a full-time judge of a district court will expire or the office will be vacated at a date certain between the adjournment of the General Assembly and the commencement of the next session of the General Assembly, a successor judge may be elected at any time during a session preceding the date of such vacancy, by the vote of a majority of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly, for a full term of six years and, upon qualification, the successor judge shall enter at once upon the discharge of the duties of his office. However, such successor judge shall not enter upon the discharge of his duties prior to the commencement of his term of office. No person shall be elected or reelected to a subsequent term under this section until he has submitted to a criminal history record search and submitted to a search of the central registry maintained pursuant to \u00a7 63.2-1515 for any founded complaint of child abuse or neglect and reports of such searches have been received by the Chairmen of the House and Senate Committees for Courts of Justice. If the person has not met the requirement of filing in the preceding calendar year a disclosure form prescribed in \u00a7 2.2-3117 or 30-111, he shall also provide a written statement of economic interests on the disclosure form prescribed in \u00a7 2.2-3117 to the Chairmen of the House and Senate Committees for Courts of Justice.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"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; judges; substitute judges","url":"\/16.1-69.11\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.11","metadata":false},{"id":64952,"structure_id":14202,"section_number":"16.1-69.11:1","catch_line":"Acting chief judge","url":"\/16.1-69.11_1\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.11_1","metadata":false},{"id":68000,"structure_id":14202,"section_number":"16.1-69.12","catch_line":"Limitations on practice of law by judges","url":"\/16.1-69.12\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.12","metadata":false},{"id":71972,"structure_id":14202,"section_number":"16.1-69.13","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/16.1-69.13\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.13","metadata":false},{"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},{"id":61440,"structure_id":14202,"section_number":"16.1-69.15","catch_line":"Qualifications of judges","url":"\/16.1-69.15\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.15","metadata":false},{"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},{"id":83141,"structure_id":14202,"section_number":"16.1-69.17","catch_line":"Oath of office of judges, clerks and others","url":"\/16.1-69.17\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.17","metadata":false},{"id":86003,"structure_id":14202,"section_number":"16.1-69.17:1","catch_line":"Time within which a judge may qualify; 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; evaluation","url":"\/16.1-69.22_1\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.22_1","metadata":false},{"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},{"id":66542,"structure_id":14202,"section_number":"16.1-69.24","catch_line":"Contempt of court","url":"\/16.1-69.24\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.24","metadata":false},{"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},{"id":79351,"structure_id":14202,"section_number":"16.1-69.25:1","catch_line":"Judge shall order bill of particulars; time for motion","url":"\/16.1-69.25_1\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.25_1","metadata":false},{"id":82607,"structure_id":14202,"section_number":"16.1-69.26","catch_line":"Judges as conservators of the peace","url":"\/16.1-69.26\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.26","metadata":false},{"id":80094,"structure_id":14202,"section_number":"16.1-69.27","catch_line":"Additional powers of judges","url":"\/16.1-69.27\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.27","metadata":false},{"id":60852,"structure_id":14202,"section_number":"16.1-69.28","catch_line":"Commitment of insane, etc., persons","url":"\/16.1-69.28\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.28","metadata":false},{"id":55391,"structure_id":14202,"section_number":"16.1-69.29","catch_line":"Jurisdiction over certain waters","url":"\/16.1-69.29\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.29","metadata":false},{"id":70053,"structure_id":14202,"section_number":"16.1-69.29:1","catch_line":"Certain information to be made available to certain defendants found not guilty","url":"\/16.1-69.29_1\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.29_1","metadata":false},{"id":65606,"structure_id":14202,"section_number":"16.1-69.6","catch_line":"Establishment of districts","url":"\/16.1-69.6\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.6","metadata":false},{"id":83634,"structure_id":14202,"section_number":"16.1-69.6:1","catch_line":"Number of judges","url":"\/16.1-69.6_1\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.6_1","metadata":false},{"id":65834,"structure_id":14202,"section_number":"16.1-69.7","catch_line":"District courts","url":"\/16.1-69.7\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.7","metadata":false},{"id":83975,"structure_id":14202,"section_number":"16.1-69.7:1","catch_line":"Establishment of certain district courts","url":"\/16.1-69.7_1\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.7_1","metadata":false},{"id":80456,"structure_id":14202,"section_number":"16.1-69.8","catch_line":"Existing courts continued and redesignated; 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":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},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/16.1-69.9:4\/","history_text":"<p>This law was first created in 1973. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 546 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 1973 \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 1993, chapter 368; in 2004, chapter <a href=\"https:\/\/legacylis.virginia.gov\/cgi-bin\/legp604.exe?041+ful+CHAP0452\">452<\/a>; in 2018, chapter <a href=\"https:\/\/legacylis.virginia.gov\/cgi-bin\/legp604.exe?181+ful+CHAP0578\">578<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":59503,"section_number":"2.2-3117","catch_line":"Disclosure form","order_by":null,"url":"\/2.2-3117\/"},{"id":76882,"section_number":"30-111","catch_line":"Disclosure form","order_by":null,"url":"\/30-111\/"},{"id":67092,"section_number":"63.2-1515","catch_line":"Central registry; disclosure of information","order_by":null,"url":"\/63.2-1515\/"}],"permalink":{"id":162155,"object_type":"law","relational_id":82678,"identifier":"16.1-69.9:4","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.9_4","url":"\/16.1-69.9_4\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/16.1-69.9_4\/","token":"16.1\/4.1\/2\/16.1-69.9_4","dublin_core":{"Title":"Same; election of successor judges","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 16.1-69.9:4","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section><p>Whenever a vacancy occurs or exists in the office of a full-time district <span class=\"dictionary\">judge<\/span> while the General Assembly is in session, or whenever the term of a full-time <span class=\"dictionary\">judge<\/span> of a district <span class=\"dictionary\">court<\/span> will expire or the office will be vacated at a date certain between the adjournment of the General Assembly and the commencement of the next session of the General Assembly, a successor <span class=\"dictionary\">judge<\/span> may be elected at any time during a session preceding the date of such vacancy, by the vote of a majority of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly, for a full term of six years and, upon qualification, the successor <span class=\"dictionary\">judge<\/span> shall enter at once upon the discharge of the duties of his office. However, such successor <span class=\"dictionary\">judge<\/span> shall not enter upon the discharge of his duties prior to the commencement of his term of office. No person shall be elected or reelected to a subsequent term under this section until he has submitted to a criminal history record search and submitted to a search of the central registry maintained pursuant to \u00a7&nbsp;<a class=\"law\" title=\"Central registry; disclosure of information\" href=\"\/63.2-1515\/\">63.2-1515<\/a> for any founded complaint of child abuse or neglect and reports of such searches have been received by the Chairmen of the House and Senate Committees for <span class=\"dictionary\">Courts<\/span> of Justice. If the person has not met the requirement of filing in the preceding calendar year a disclosure form prescribed in \u00a7&nbsp;<a class=\"law\" title=\"Disclosure form\" href=\"\/2.2-3117\/\">2.2-3117<\/a> or <a class=\"law\" title=\"Disclosure form\" href=\"\/30-111\/\">30-111<\/a>, he shall also provide a written statement of economic interests on the disclosure form prescribed in \u00a7&nbsp;<a class=\"law\" title=\"Disclosure form\" href=\"\/2.2-3117\/\">2.2-3117<\/a> to the Chairmen of the House and Senate Committees for <span class=\"dictionary\">Courts<\/span> of Justice.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":"                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nSAME; ELECTION OF SUCCESSOR JUDGES (\u00a7 16.1-69.9:4)\n\nWhenever a vacancy occurs or exists in the office of a full-time district judge\nwhile the General Assembly is in session, or whenever the term of a full-time\njudge of a district court will expire or the office will be vacated at a date\ncertain between the adjournment of the General Assembly and the commencement of\nthe next session of the General Assembly, a successor judge may be elected at\nany time during a session preceding the date of such vacancy, by the vote of a\nmajority of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly, for a\nfull term of six years and, upon qualification, the successor judge shall enter\nat once upon the discharge of the duties of his office. However, such successor\njudge shall not enter upon the discharge of his duties prior to the commencement\nof his term of office. No person shall be elected or reelected to a subsequent\nterm under this section until he has submitted to a criminal history record\nsearch and submitted to a search of the central registry maintained pursuant to\n\u00a7 63.2-1515 for any founded complaint of child abuse or neglect and reports of\nsuch searches have been received by the Chairmen of the House and Senate\nCommittees for Courts of Justice. If the person has not met the requirement of\nfiling in the preceding calendar year a disclosure form prescribed in \u00a7\n2.2-3117 or 30-111, he shall also provide a written statement of economic\ninterests on the disclosure form prescribed in \u00a7 2.2-3117 to the Chairmen of\nthe House and Senate Committees for Courts of Justice.\n\nHISTORY: 1973, c. 546; 1993, c. 368; 2004, c. 452; 2018, c. 578.","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}}