{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/18.2-359.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/18.2-359.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/18.2-359.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/18.2-359.html"}],"law_id":71784,"edition_id":1,"section_id":71784,"structure_id":14023,"section_number":"18.2-359","catch_line":"Venue for criminal sexual assault or where any person transported for criminal sexual assault, attempted criminal sexual assault, or purposes of unlawful sexual intercourse, crimes against nature, and indecent liberties with children; venue for such crimes when coupled with a violent felony","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 18.1-210; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1976, c. 54; 1978, c. 610; 1981, c. 397; 2004, c. 869; 2011, c. 763; 2014, c. 794; 2015, c. 555.","full_text":"A\n\nAny person transporting or attempting to transport through or across the Commonwealth any person for the purposes of unlawful sexual intercourse, anal intercourse, cunnilingus, fellatio, or anilingus or prostitution, or for the purpose of committing any crime specified in § 18.2-361, 18.2-370, or 18.2-370.1, or for the purposes of committing or attempting to commit criminal sexual assault under Article 7 (§ 18.2-61 et seq.) of Chapter 4, may be presented, indicted, tried, and convicted in any county or city in which any part of such transportation occurred.B\n\nVenue for the trial of any person charged with committing or attempting to commit any crime specified in § 18.2-361, 18.2-370, or 18.2-370.1, or sexual assault under Article 7 (§ 18.2-61 et seq.) of Chapter 4 may be had in the county or city in which such crime is alleged to have occurred or, with the concurrence of the attorney for the Commonwealth in the county or city in which the crime is alleged to have occurred, in any county or city through which the victim was transported by the defendant prior to the commission of such offense.C\n\nVenue for the trial of any person charged with committing or attempting to commit criminal sexual assault under Article 7 (§ 18.2-61 et seq.) of Chapter 4 against a person under 18 years of age may be had in the county or city in which such crime is alleged to have occurred or, when the county or city where the offense is alleged to have occurred cannot be determined, then in the county or city where the person under 18 years of age resided at the time of the offense.D\n\nVenue for the trial of any person charged with committing or attempting to commit (i) any crime specified in § 18.2-361, 18.2-370, or 18.2-370.1, or criminal sexual assault under Article 7 (§ 18.2-61 et seq.) of Chapter 4 and (ii) any violent felony as defined in § 17.1-805 or any act of violence as defined in § 19.2-297.1 arising out of the same incident, occurrence, or transaction may be had in the county or city in which any such crime is alleged to have occurred or, with the concurrence of the attorney for the Commonwealth in the county or city in which the crime is alleged to have occurred, in any county or city through which the victim was transported by the defendant in the commission of such offense.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":258612,"text":"Any person transporting or attempting to transport through or across the Commonwealth any person for the purposes of unlawful sexual intercourse, anal intercourse, cunnilingus, fellatio, or anilingus or prostitution, or for the purpose of committing any crime specified in § 18.2-361, 18.2-370, or 18.2-370.1, or for the purposes of committing or attempting to commit criminal sexual assault under Article 7 (§ 18.2-61 et seq.) of Chapter 4, may be presented, indicted, tried, and convicted in any county or city in which any part of such transportation occurred.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":258613,"text":"Venue for the trial of any person charged with committing or attempting to commit any crime specified in § 18.2-361, 18.2-370, or 18.2-370.1, or sexual assault under Article 7 (§ 18.2-61 et seq.) of Chapter 4 may be had in the county or city in which such crime is alleged to have occurred or, with the concurrence of the attorney for the Commonwealth in the county or city in which the crime is alleged to have occurred, in any county or city through which the victim was transported by the defendant prior to the commission of such offense.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":258614,"text":"Venue for the trial of any person charged with committing or attempting to commit criminal sexual assault under Article 7 (§ 18.2-61 et seq.) of Chapter 4 against a person under 18 years of age may be had in the county or city in which such crime is alleged to have occurred or, when the county or city where the offense is alleged to have occurred cannot be determined, then in the county or city where the person under 18 years of age resided at the time of the offense.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":258615,"text":"Venue for the trial of any person charged with committing or attempting to commit (i) any crime specified in § 18.2-361, 18.2-370, or 18.2-370.1, or criminal sexual assault under Article 7 (§ 18.2-61 et seq.) of Chapter 4 and (ii) any violent felony as defined in § 17.1-805 or any act of violence as defined in § 19.2-297.1 arising out of the same incident, occurrence, or transaction may be had in the county or city in which any such crime is alleged to have occurred or, with the concurrence of the attorney for the Commonwealth in the county or city in which the crime is alleged to have occurred, in any county or city through which the victim was transported by the defendant in the commission of such offense.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C"}},"ancestry":[{"id":14023,"edition_id":1,"name":"Commercial Sex Trafficking, Prostitution, etc","identifier":"3","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":14022,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:46:37","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:46:37","permalink":{"id":167659,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14023,"identifier":"3","token":"18.2\/8\/3","url":"\/18.2\/8\/3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":14022,"edition_id":1,"name":"Crimes Involving Morals and Decency","identifier":"8","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12972,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:46:37","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:46:37","permalink":{"id":167393,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14022,"identifier":"8","token":"18.2\/8","url":"\/18.2\/8\/","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":55113,"structure_id":14023,"section_number":"18.2-344","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/18.2-344\/","token":"18.2\/8\/3\/18.2-344","metadata":false},{"id":68451,"structure_id":14023,"section_number":"18.2-345","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/18.2-345\/","token":"18.2\/8\/3\/18.2-345","metadata":false},{"id":79810,"structure_id":14023,"section_number":"18.2-346","catch_line":"Prostitution; commercial sexual conduct; penalties","url":"\/18.2-346\/","token":"18.2\/8\/3\/18.2-346","metadata":false},{"id":57611,"structure_id":14023,"section_number":"18.2-346.01","catch_line":"Prostitution; solicitation; commercial exploitation of a minor; penalties","url":"\/18.2-346.01\/","token":"18.2\/8\/3\/18.2-346.01","metadata":false},{"id":77563,"structure_id":14023,"section_number":"18.2-346.1","catch_line":"Testing of convicted prostitutes and injection drug users for sexually transmitted infection","url":"\/18.2-346.1\/","token":"18.2\/8\/3\/18.2-346.1","metadata":false},{"id":85705,"structure_id":14023,"section_number":"18.2-347","catch_line":"Keeping, residing in, or frequenting a bawdy place; \"bawdy place\" defined; penalty","url":"\/18.2-347\/","token":"18.2\/8\/3\/18.2-347","metadata":false},{"id":83161,"structure_id":14023,"section_number":"18.2-348","catch_line":"Aiding prostitution or illicit sexual intercourse, etc.; penalty","url":"\/18.2-348\/","token":"18.2\/8\/3\/18.2-348","metadata":false},{"id":85373,"structure_id":14023,"section_number":"18.2-348.1","catch_line":"Promoting travel for prostitution; penalty","url":"\/18.2-348.1\/","token":"18.2\/8\/3\/18.2-348.1","metadata":false},{"id":85342,"structure_id":14023,"section_number":"18.2-349","catch_line":"Using vehicles to promote prostitution or unlawful sexual intercourse; penalty","url":"\/18.2-349\/","token":"18.2\/8\/3\/18.2-349","metadata":false},{"id":72571,"structure_id":14023,"section_number":"18.2-350","catch_line":"Confinement of convicted prostitutes and persons violating \u00a7\u00a7 18.2-347 through 18.2-349","url":"\/18.2-350\/","token":"18.2\/8\/3\/18.2-350","metadata":false},{"id":62371,"structure_id":14023,"section_number":"18.2-351","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/18.2-351\/","token":"18.2\/8\/3\/18.2-351","metadata":false},{"id":57027,"structure_id":14023,"section_number":"18.2-354","catch_line":"Reserved","url":"\/18.2-354\/","token":"18.2\/8\/3\/18.2-354","metadata":false},{"id":57212,"structure_id":14023,"section_number":"18.2-355","catch_line":"Taking, detaining, etc., person for prostitution, etc., or consenting thereto; human trafficking","url":"\/18.2-355\/","token":"18.2\/8\/3\/18.2-355","metadata":false},{"id":59657,"structure_id":14023,"section_number":"18.2-356","catch_line":"Receiving money for procuring person; penalties","url":"\/18.2-356\/","token":"18.2\/8\/3\/18.2-356","metadata":false},{"id":81938,"structure_id":14023,"section_number":"18.2-356.1","catch_line":"Purchasing or selling of minors; exceptions; penalties","url":"\/18.2-356.1\/","token":"18.2\/8\/3\/18.2-356.1","metadata":false},{"id":62200,"structure_id":14023,"section_number":"18.2-357","catch_line":"Receiving money from earnings of male or female prostitute; penalties","url":"\/18.2-357\/","token":"18.2\/8\/3\/18.2-357","metadata":false},{"id":76497,"structure_id":14023,"section_number":"18.2-357.1","catch_line":"Commercial sex trafficking; penalties","url":"\/18.2-357.1\/","token":"18.2\/8\/3\/18.2-357.1","metadata":false},{"id":59589,"structure_id":14023,"section_number":"18.2-358","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/18.2-358\/","token":"18.2\/8\/3\/18.2-358","metadata":false},{"id":71784,"structure_id":14023,"section_number":"18.2-359","catch_line":"Venue for criminal sexual assault or where any person transported for criminal sexual assault, attempted criminal sexual assault, or purposes of unlawful sexual intercourse, crimes against nature, and indecent liberties with children; venue for such crimes when coupled with a violent felony","url":"\/18.2-359\/","token":"18.2\/8\/3\/18.2-359","metadata":false},{"id":61388,"structure_id":14023,"section_number":"18.2-360","catch_line":"Competency of persons to testify in prosecutions under \u00a7\u00a7 18.2-355 through 18.2-361","url":"\/18.2-360\/","token":"18.2\/8\/3\/18.2-360","metadata":false},{"id":55287,"structure_id":14023,"section_number":"18.2-361","catch_line":"Crimes against nature; penalty","url":"\/18.2-361\/","token":"18.2\/8\/3\/18.2-361","metadata":false},{"id":68045,"structure_id":14023,"section_number":"18.2-361.01","catch_line":"Sexual abuse of animals; penalties","url":"\/18.2-361.01\/","token":"18.2\/8\/3\/18.2-361.01","metadata":false},{"id":71996,"structure_id":14023,"section_number":"18.2-361.1","catch_line":"Victims of sex trafficking; affirmative defense","url":"\/18.2-361.1\/","token":"18.2\/8\/3\/18.2-361.1","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":59589,"structure_id":14023,"section_number":"18.2-358","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/18.2-358\/","token":"18.2\/8\/3\/18.2-358","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":61388,"structure_id":14023,"section_number":"18.2-360","catch_line":"Competency of persons to testify in prosecutions under \u00a7\u00a7 18.2-355 through 18.2-361","url":"\/18.2-360\/","token":"18.2\/8\/3\/18.2-360","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/18.2-359\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 9 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 1976, chapter 54; in 1978, chapter 610; in 1981, chapter 397; in 2004, chapter 869<\/a>; in 2011, chapter 763<\/a>; in 2014, chapter 794<\/a>; in 2015, chapter 555<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":80246,"section_number":"17.1-805","catch_line":"Adoption of initial discretionary sentencing guideline midpoints","order_by":null,"url":"\/17.1-805\/"},{"id":55287,"section_number":"18.2-361","catch_line":"Crimes against nature; penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-361\/"},{"id":60265,"section_number":"18.2-370","catch_line":"Taking indecent liberties with children; penalties","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-370\/"},{"id":80307,"section_number":"18.2-370.1","catch_line":"Taking indecent liberties with child by person in custodial or supervisory relationship; penalties","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-370.1\/"},{"id":75662,"section_number":"18.2-61","catch_line":"Rape","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-61\/"},{"id":56020,"section_number":"19.2-297.1","catch_line":"Sentence of person twice previously convicted of certain violent felonies","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-297.1\/"}],"permalink":{"id":167733,"object_type":"law","relational_id":71784,"identifier":"18.2-359","token":"18.2\/8\/3\/18.2-359","url":"\/18.2-359\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/18.2-359\/","token":"18.2\/8\/3\/18.2-359","dublin_core":{"Title":"Venue for criminal sexual assault or where any person transported for criminal sexual assault, attempted criminal sexual assault, or purposes of unlawful sexual intercourse, crimes against nature, and indecent liberties with children; venue for such crimes when coupled with a violent felony","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 18.2-359","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> Any person transporting or attempting to transport through or across the Commonwealth any person for the purposes of unlawful sexual intercourse, anal intercourse, cunnilingus, fellatio, or anilingus or prostitution, or for the purpose of committing any crime<\/span> specified in § 18.2-361<\/a>, 18.2-370<\/a>, or 18.2-370.1<\/a>, or for the purposes of committing or attempting to commit criminal sexual assault<\/span> under Article 7 (§ 18.2-61<\/a> et seq.) of Chapter 4, may be presented, indicted, tried, and convicted in any county or city in which any part of such transportation occurred. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> Venue<\/span> for the trial<\/span> of any person charged with committing or attempting to commit any crime<\/span> specified in § 18.2-361<\/a>, 18.2-370<\/a>, or 18.2-370.1<\/a>, or sexual assault<\/span> under Article 7 (§ 18.2-61<\/a> et seq.) of Chapter 4 may be had in the county or city in which such crime<\/span> is alleged to have occurred or, with the concurrence of the attorney for the Commonwealth in the county or city in which the crime<\/span> is alleged to have occurred, in any county or city through which the victim was transported by the defendant<\/span> prior to the commission of such offense<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> Venue<\/span> for the trial<\/span> of any person charged with committing or attempting to commit criminal sexual assault<\/span> under Article 7 (§ 18.2-61<\/a> et seq.) of Chapter 4 against a person under 18 years of age may be had in the county or city in which such crime<\/span> is alleged to have occurred or, when the county or city where the offense<\/span> is alleged to have occurred cannot be determined, then in the county or city where the person under 18 years of age resided at the time of the offense<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> Venue<\/span> for the trial<\/span> of any person charged with committing or attempting to commit (i) any crime<\/span> specified in § 18.2-361<\/a>, 18.2-370<\/a>, or 18.2-370.1<\/a>, or criminal sexual assault<\/span> under Article 7 (§ 18.2-61<\/a> et seq.) of Chapter 4 and (ii) any violent felony<\/span> as defined in § 17.1-805<\/a> or any act of violence as defined in § 19.2-297.1<\/a> arising out of the same incident, occurrence, or transaction may be had in the county or city in which any such crime<\/span> is alleged to have occurred or, with the concurrence of the attorney for the Commonwealth in the county or city in which the crime<\/span> is alleged to have occurred, in any county or city through which the victim was transported by the defendant<\/span> in the commission of such offense<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nVENUE FOR CRIMINAL SEXUAL ASSAULT OR WHERE ANY PERSON TRANSPORTED FOR CRIMINAL\nSEXUAL ASSAULT, ATTEMPTED CRIMINAL SEXUAL ASSAULT, OR PURPOSES OF UNLAWFUL\nSEXUAL INTERCOURSE, CRIMES AGAINST NATURE, AND INDECENT LIBERTIES WITH CHILDREN;\nVENUE FOR SUCH CRIMES WHEN COUPLED WITH A VIOLENT FELONY (\u00a7 18.2-359)\n\nA. Any person transporting or attempting to transport through or across the\nCommonwealth any person for the purposes of unlawful sexual intercourse, anal\nintercourse, cunnilingus, fellatio, or anilingus or prostitution, or for the\npurpose of committing any crime specified in § 18.2-361, 18.2-370, or\n18.2-370.1, or for the purposes of committing or attempting to commit criminal\nsexual assault under Article 7 (§ 18.2-61 et seq.) of Chapter 4, may be\npresented, indicted, tried, and convicted in any county or city in which any\npart of such transportation occurred.\n\nB. Venue for the trial of any person charged with committing or attempting to\ncommit any crime specified in § 18.2-361, 18.2-370, or 18.2-370.1, or\nsexual assault under Article 7 (§ 18.2-61 et seq.) of Chapter 4 may be had\nin the county or city in which such crime is alleged to have occurred or, with\nthe concurrence of the attorney for the Commonwealth in the county or city in\nwhich the crime is alleged to have occurred, in any county or city through which\nthe victim was transported by the defendant prior to the commission of such\noffense.\n\nC. Venue for the trial of any person charged with committing or attempting to\ncommit criminal sexual assault under Article 7 (§ 18.2-61 et seq.) of\nChapter 4 against a person under 18 years of age may be had in the county or\ncity in which such crime is alleged to have occurred or, when the county or city\nwhere the offense is alleged to have occurred cannot be determined, then in the\ncounty or city where the person under 18 years of age resided at the time of the\noffense.\n\nD. Venue for the trial of any person charged with committing or attempting to\ncommit (i) any crime specified in § 18.2-361, 18.2-370, or 18.2-370.1, or\ncriminal sexual assault under Article 7 (§ 18.2-61 et seq.) of Chapter 4\nand (ii) any violent felony as defined in § 17.1-805 or any act of violence\nas defined in § 19.2-297.1 arising out of the same incident, occurrence, or\ntransaction may be had in the county or city in which any such crime is alleged\nto have occurred or, with the concurrence of the attorney for the Commonwealth\nin the county or city in which the crime is alleged to have occurred, in any\ncounty or city through which the victim was transported by the defendant in the\ncommission of such offense.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 18.1-210; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1976, c. 54;\n1978, c. 610; 1981, c. 397; 2004, c. 869; 2011, c. 763; 2014, c. 794; 2015, c.\n555.","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}}