{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/18.2-49.1.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/18.2-49.1.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/18.2-49.1.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/18.2-49.1.html"}],"law_id":86277,"edition_id":1,"section_id":86277,"structure_id":15570,"section_number":"18.2-49.1","catch_line":"Violation of court order regarding custody and visitation; penalty","history":"1987, c. 704; 1989, c. 486; 1994, c. 575; 2002, cc. 576, 596; 2003, c. 261.","full_text":"A\n\nAny person who knowingly, wrongfully and intentionally withholds a child from either of a child’s parents or other legal guardian in a clear and significant violation of a court order respecting the custody or visitation of such child, provided such child is withheld outside of the Commonwealth, is guilty of a Class 6 felony.B\n\nAny person who knowingly, wrongfully and intentionally engages in conduct that constitutes a clear and significant violation of a court order respecting the custody or visitation of a child is guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor upon conviction of a first offense. Any person who commits a second violation of this section within 12 months of a first conviction is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor, and any person who commits a third violation occurring within 24 months of the first conviction is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":308998,"text":"Any person who knowingly, wrongfully and intentionally withholds a child from either of a child’s parents or other legal guardian in a clear and significant violation of a court order respecting the custody or visitation of such child, provided such child is withheld outside of the Commonwealth, is guilty of a Class 6 felony.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":308999,"text":"Any person who knowingly, wrongfully and intentionally engages in conduct that constitutes a clear and significant violation of a court order respecting the custody or visitation of a child is guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor upon conviction of a first offense. Any person who commits a second violation of this section within 12 months of a first conviction is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor, and any person who commits a third violation occurring within 24 months of the first conviction is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A"}},"ancestry":[{"id":15570,"edition_id":1,"name":"Kidnapping and Related Offenses","identifier":"3","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13100,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:56:24","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:56:24","permalink":{"id":164925,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15570,"identifier":"3","token":"18.2\/4\/3","url":"\/18.2\/4\/3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13100,"edition_id":1,"name":"Crimes Against the Person","identifier":"4","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12972,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:17","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:17","permalink":{"id":164763,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13100,"identifier":"4","token":"18.2\/4","url":"\/18.2\/4\/","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":60862,"structure_id":15570,"section_number":"18.2-47","catch_line":"Abduction and kidnapping defined; forced labor; punishment","url":"\/18.2-47\/","token":"18.2\/4\/3\/18.2-47","metadata":false},{"id":59389,"structure_id":15570,"section_number":"18.2-48","catch_line":"Abduction with intent to extort money or for immoral purpose","url":"\/18.2-48\/","token":"18.2\/4\/3\/18.2-48","metadata":false},{"id":63979,"structure_id":15570,"section_number":"18.2-48.1","catch_line":"Abduction by prisoners or committed persons; penalty","url":"\/18.2-48.1\/","token":"18.2\/4\/3\/18.2-48.1","metadata":false},{"id":64917,"structure_id":15570,"section_number":"18.2-49","catch_line":"Threatening, attempting, or assisting in such abduction; penalty","url":"\/18.2-49\/","token":"18.2\/4\/3\/18.2-49","metadata":false},{"id":86277,"structure_id":15570,"section_number":"18.2-49.1","catch_line":"Violation of court order regarding custody and visitation; penalty","url":"\/18.2-49.1\/","token":"18.2\/4\/3\/18.2-49.1","metadata":false},{"id":62919,"structure_id":15570,"section_number":"18.2-50","catch_line":"Disclosure of information and assistance to law-enforcement officers required","url":"\/18.2-50\/","token":"18.2\/4\/3\/18.2-50","metadata":false},{"id":81175,"structure_id":15570,"section_number":"18.2-50.1","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/18.2-50.1\/","token":"18.2\/4\/3\/18.2-50.1","metadata":false},{"id":83160,"structure_id":15570,"section_number":"18.2-50.2","catch_line":"Emergency control of telephone service in hostage or barricaded person situation","url":"\/18.2-50.2\/","token":"18.2\/4\/3\/18.2-50.2","metadata":false},{"id":77889,"structure_id":15570,"section_number":"18.2-50.3","catch_line":"Enticing, etc., another into a dwelling house with intent to commit certain felonies; penalty","url":"\/18.2-50.3\/","token":"18.2\/4\/3\/18.2-50.3","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":64917,"structure_id":15570,"section_number":"18.2-49","catch_line":"Threatening, attempting, or assisting in such abduction; penalty","url":"\/18.2-49\/","token":"18.2\/4\/3\/18.2-49","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":62919,"structure_id":15570,"section_number":"18.2-50","catch_line":"Disclosure of information and assistance to law-enforcement officers required","url":"\/18.2-50\/","token":"18.2\/4\/3\/18.2-50","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/18.2-49.1\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1987. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 704 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 1987 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 4 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 1989, chapter 486; in 1994, chapter 575<\/a>; in 2002, chapters 576<\/a> and 596<\/a>; in 2003, chapter 261<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":71312,"section_number":"16.1-241","catch_line":"Jurisdiction; consent for abortion","order_by":null,"url":"\/16.1-241\/"},{"id":74660,"section_number":"19.2-392.12","catch_line":"(Effective July 1, 2026) Sealing of offenses resulting in a deferred and dismissed disposition or conviction by petition","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-392.12\/"},{"id":58640,"section_number":"53.1-40.02","catch_line":"Conditional release of terminally ill prisoners","order_by":null,"url":"\/53.1-40.02\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":164943,"object_type":"law","relational_id":86277,"identifier":"18.2-49.1","token":"18.2\/4\/3\/18.2-49.1","url":"\/18.2-49.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/18.2-49.1\/","token":"18.2\/4\/3\/18.2-49.1","dublin_core":{"Title":"Violation of court order regarding custody and visitation; penalty","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 18.2-49.1","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> Any person who knowingly, wrongfully and intentionally withholds a child from either of a child’s parents or other legal guardian in a clear and significant violation of a court order<\/span> respecting the custody<\/span> or visitation of such child, provided such child is withheld outside of the Commonwealth, is guilty of a Class 6 felony<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> Any person who knowingly, wrongfully and intentionally engages in conduct that constitutes a clear and significant violation of a court order<\/span> respecting the custody<\/span> or visitation of a child is guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor<\/span> upon conviction<\/span> of a first offense<\/span>. Any person who commits a second violation of this section within 12 months of a first conviction<\/span> is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor<\/span>, and any person who commits a third violation occurring within 24 months of the first conviction<\/span> is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nVIOLATION OF COURT ORDER REGARDING CUSTODY AND VISITATION; PENALTY (\u00a7\n18.2-49.1)\n\nA. Any person who knowingly, wrongfully and intentionally withholds a child from\neither of a child’s parents or other legal guardian in a clear and\nsignificant violation of a court order respecting the custody or visitation of\nsuch child, provided such child is withheld outside of the Commonwealth, is\nguilty of a Class 6 felony.\n\nB. Any person who knowingly, wrongfully and intentionally engages in conduct\nthat constitutes a clear and significant violation of a court order respecting\nthe custody or visitation of a child is guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor upon\nconviction of a first offense. Any person who commits a second violation of this\nsection within 12 months of a first conviction is guilty of a Class 2\nmisdemeanor, and any person who commits a third violation occurring within 24\nmonths of the first conviction is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.\n\nHISTORY: 1987, c. 704; 1989, c. 486; 1994, c. 575; 2002, cc. 576, 596; 2003, c.\n261.","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}}