{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/18.2-416.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/18.2-416.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/18.2-416.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/18.2-416.html"}],"law_id":59778,"edition_id":1,"section_id":59778,"structure_id":14747,"section_number":"18.2-416","catch_line":"Punishment for using abusive language to another","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 18.1-255; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15.","full_text":"If any person shall, in the presence or hearing of another, curse or abuse such other person, or use any violent abusive language to such person concerning himself or any of his relations, or otherwise use such language, under circumstances reasonably calculated to provoke a breach of the peace, he shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":218946,"text":"If any person shall, in the presence or hearing of another, curse or abuse such other person, or use any violent abusive language to such person concerning himself or any of his relations, or otherwise use such language, under circumstances reasonably calculated to provoke a breach of the peace, he shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":14747,"edition_id":1,"name":"Abusive and Insulting Language","identifier":"3","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":14570,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:49:42","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:49:42","permalink":{"id":168057,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14747,"identifier":"3","token":"18.2\/9\/3","url":"\/18.2\/9\/3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":14570,"edition_id":1,"name":"Crimes Against Peace and Order","identifier":"9","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12972,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:48:42","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:48:42","permalink":{"id":167995,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14570,"identifier":"9","token":"18.2\/9","url":"\/18.2\/9\/","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":59778,"structure_id":14747,"section_number":"18.2-416","catch_line":"Punishment for using abusive language to another","url":"\/18.2-416\/","token":"18.2\/9\/3\/18.2-416","metadata":false},{"id":56485,"structure_id":14747,"section_number":"18.2-417","catch_line":"Slander and libel","url":"\/18.2-417\/","token":"18.2\/9\/3\/18.2-417","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":56485,"structure_id":14747,"section_number":"18.2-417","catch_line":"Slander and libel","url":"\/18.2-417\/","token":"18.2\/9\/3\/18.2-417","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/18.2-416\/","history_text":"<p>The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\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 1960, chapter 358; in 1975, chapters 14 and 15.<\/p>","references":[{"id":56780,"section_number":"4.1-225","catch_line":"Grounds for which Board may suspend or revoke licenses; exception","order_by":null,"url":"\/4.1-225\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":168059,"object_type":"law","relational_id":59778,"identifier":"18.2-416","token":"18.2\/9\/3\/18.2-416","url":"\/18.2-416\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/18.2-416\/","token":"18.2\/9\/3\/18.2-416","dublin_core":{"Title":"Punishment for using abusive language to another","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 18.2-416","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section><p>If any person shall, in the presence or <span class=\"dictionary\">hearing<\/span> of another, curse or abuse such other person, or use any violent abusive language to such person concerning himself or any of his relations, or otherwise use such language, under circumstances reasonably calculated to provoke a breach of the peace, he shall be guilty of a Class 3 <span class=\"dictionary\">misdemeanor<\/span>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":"                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPUNISHMENT FOR USING ABUSIVE LANGUAGE TO ANOTHER (\u00a7 18.2-416)\n\nIf any person shall, in the presence or hearing of another, curse or abuse such\nother person, or use any violent abusive language to such person concerning\nhimself or any of his relations, or otherwise use such language, under\ncircumstances reasonably calculated to provoke a breach of the peace, he shall\nbe guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 18.1-255; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15.","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}}