{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/18.2-18.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/18.2-18.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/18.2-18.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/18.2-18.html"}],"law_id":64418,"edition_id":1,"section_id":64418,"structure_id":16174,"section_number":"18.2-18","catch_line":"How principals in second degree and accessories before the fact punished","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 18.1-11; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1977, c. 478; 1997, c. 313; 2002, cc. 588, 623; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 344, 345.","full_text":"In the case of every felony, every principal in the second degree and every accessory before the fact may be indicted, tried, convicted and punished in all respects as if a principal in the first degree; provided, however, that except in the case of a killing for hire under the provisions of subdivision A 2 of \u00a7 18.2-31 or a killing pursuant to the direction or order of one who is engaged in a continuing criminal enterprise under the provisions of subdivision A 10 of \u00a7 18.2-31 or a killing pursuant to the direction or order of one who is engaged in the commission of or attempted commission of an act of terrorism under the provisions of subdivision A 13 of \u00a7 18.2-31, an accessory before the fact or principal in the second degree to an aggravated murder shall be indicted, tried, convicted and punished as though the offense were murder in the first degree.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":234410,"text":"In the case of every felony, every principal in the second degree and every accessory before the fact may be indicted, tried, convicted and punished in all respects as if a principal in the first degree; provided, however, that except in the case of a killing for hire under the provisions of subdivision A 2 of \u00a7 18.2-31 or a killing pursuant to the direction or order of one who is engaged in a continuing criminal enterprise under the provisions of subdivision A 10 of \u00a7 18.2-31 or a killing pursuant to the direction or order of one who is engaged in the commission of or attempted commission of an act of terrorism under the provisions of subdivision A 13 of \u00a7 18.2-31, an accessory before the fact or principal in the second degree to an aggravated murder shall be indicted, tried, convicted and punished as though the offense were murder in the first degree.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":16174,"edition_id":1,"name":"Principals and Accessories","identifier":"2","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12972,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 04:08:10","date_modified":"2026-06-26 04:08:10","permalink":{"id":164703,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":16174,"identifier":"2","token":"18.2\/2","url":"\/18.2\/2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12972,"edition_id":1,"name":"Crimes and Offenses Generally","identifier":"18.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:05","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:05","permalink":{"id":164139,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12972,"identifier":"18.2","token":"18.2","url":"\/18.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":64418,"structure_id":16174,"section_number":"18.2-18","catch_line":"How principals in second degree and accessories before the fact punished","url":"\/18.2-18\/","token":"18.2\/2\/18.2-18","metadata":false},{"id":72491,"structure_id":16174,"section_number":"18.2-19","catch_line":"How accessories after the fact punished; certain exceptions","url":"\/18.2-19\/","token":"18.2\/2\/18.2-19","metadata":false},{"id":81979,"structure_id":16174,"section_number":"18.2-20","catch_line":"Reserved","url":"\/18.2-20\/","token":"18.2\/2\/18.2-20","metadata":false},{"id":77876,"structure_id":16174,"section_number":"18.2-21","catch_line":"When and where accessories tried; how indicted","url":"\/18.2-21\/","token":"18.2\/2\/18.2-21","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":72491,"structure_id":16174,"section_number":"18.2-19","catch_line":"How accessories after the fact punished; certain exceptions","url":"\/18.2-19\/","token":"18.2\/2\/18.2-19","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/18.2-18\/","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 1960, chapter 358; in 1975, chapters 14 and 15; in 1977, chapter 478; in 1997, chapter 313<\/a>; in 2002, chapters 588<\/a> and 623<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":66060,"section_number":"18.2-371","catch_line":"Causing or encouraging acts rendering children delinquent, abused, etc.; penalty; abandoned infant","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-371\/"},{"id":77776,"section_number":"2.2-511","catch_line":"Criminal cases","order_by":null,"url":"\/2.2-511\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":79946,"section_number":"18.2-31","catch_line":"Aggravated murder defined; punishment","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-31\/"}],"permalink":{"id":164705,"object_type":"law","relational_id":64418,"identifier":"18.2-18","token":"18.2\/2\/18.2-18","url":"\/18.2-18\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/18.2-18\/","token":"18.2\/2\/18.2-18","dublin_core":{"Title":"How principals in second degree and accessories before the fact punished","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 18.2-18","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

In the case of every felony<\/span>, every principal in the second degree and every accessory before the fact<\/span> may be indicted, tried, convicted and punished in all respects as if a principal in the first degree; provided, however, that except in the case of a killing for hire under the provisions of subdivision A 2 of \u00a7 18.2-31<\/a> or a killing pursuant to the direction or order<\/span> of one who is engaged in a continuing criminal enterprise under the provisions of subdivision A 10 of \u00a7 18.2-31<\/a> or a killing pursuant to the direction or order<\/span> of one who is engaged in the commission of or attempted commission of an act of terrorism under the provisions of subdivision A 13 of \u00a7 18.2-31<\/a>, an accessory before the fact<\/span> or principal in the second degree to an aggravated murder<\/span> shall be indicted, tried, convicted and punished as though the offense<\/span> were murder<\/span> in the first degree.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nHOW PRINCIPALS IN SECOND DEGREE AND ACCESSORIES BEFORE THE FACT PUNISHED (\u00a7\n18.2-18)\n\nIn the case of every felony, every principal in the second degree and every\naccessory before the fact may be indicted, tried, convicted and punished in all\nrespects as if a principal in the first degree; provided, however, that except\nin the case of a killing for hire under the provisions of subdivision A 2 of \u00a7\n18.2-31 or a killing pursuant to the direction or order of one who is engaged in\na continuing criminal enterprise under the provisions of subdivision A 10 of \u00a7\n18.2-31 or a killing pursuant to the direction or order of one who is engaged in\nthe commission of or attempted commission of an act of terrorism under the\nprovisions of subdivision A 13 of \u00a7 18.2-31, an accessory before the fact or\nprincipal in the second degree to an aggravated murder shall be indicted, tried,\nconvicted and punished as though the offense were murder in the first degree.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 18.1-11; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1977, c. 478;\n1997, c. 313; 2002, cc. 588, 623; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 344, 345.","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}}