{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/19.2-186.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/19.2-186.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/19.2-186.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/19.2-186.html"}],"law_id":79502,"edition_id":1,"section_id":79502,"structure_id":16023,"section_number":"19.2-186","catch_line":"When accused to be discharged, tried, committed or bailed by judge","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 19.1-106; 1960, c. 366; 1968, c. 639; 1973, c. 485; 1975, c. 495; 1999, cc. 829, 846.","full_text":"The judge shall discharge the accused if he considers that there is not sufficient cause for charging him with the offense.\n\t\tIf a judge considers that there is sufficient cause only to charge the accused with an offense which the judge has jurisdiction to try, then he shall try the accused for such offense and convict him if he deems him guilty and pass judgment upon him in accordance with law just as if the accused had first been brought before him on a warrant charging him with such offense.\n\t\tIf a judge considers that there is sufficient cause to charge the accused with an offense that he does not have jurisdiction to try then he shall certify the case to the appropriate court having jurisdiction and shall commit the accused to jail or let him to bail pursuant to the provisions of Article 1 (\u00a7 19.2-119 et seq.) of Chapter 9 of this title.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":284836,"text":"The judge shall discharge the accused if he considers that there is not sufficient cause for charging him with the offense.\n\t\tIf a judge considers that there is sufficient cause only to charge the accused with an offense which the judge has jurisdiction to try, then he shall try the accused for such offense and convict him if he deems him guilty and pass judgment upon him in accordance with law just as if the accused had first been brought before him on a warrant charging him with such offense.\n\t\tIf a judge considers that there is sufficient cause to charge the accused with an offense that he does not have jurisdiction to try then he shall certify the case to the appropriate court having jurisdiction and shall commit the accused to jail or let him to bail pursuant to the provisions of Article 1 (\u00a7 19.2-119 et seq.) of Chapter 9 of this title.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":16023,"edition_id":1,"name":"Preliminary Hearing","identifier":"12","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12801,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 04:04:10","date_modified":"2026-06-26 04:04:10","permalink":{"id":168621,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":16023,"identifier":"12","token":"19.2\/12","url":"\/19.2\/12\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12801,"edition_id":1,"name":"Criminal Procedure","identifier":"19.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:53","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:53","permalink":{"id":168169,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12801,"identifier":"19.2","token":"19.2","url":"\/19.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":76815,"structure_id":16023,"section_number":"19.2-183","catch_line":"Examination of witnesses; assistance of counsel; evidentiary matters and remedies; power to adjourn case","url":"\/19.2-183\/","token":"19.2\/12\/19.2-183","metadata":false},{"id":73768,"structure_id":16023,"section_number":"19.2-183.1","catch_line":"Joint preliminary hearings","url":"\/19.2-183.1\/","token":"19.2\/12\/19.2-183.1","metadata":false},{"id":75822,"structure_id":16023,"section_number":"19.2-184","catch_line":"Witnesses may be separated (Subsection (a) of Supreme Court Rule 2:615 derived in part from this section)","url":"\/19.2-184\/","token":"19.2\/12\/19.2-184","metadata":false},{"id":82925,"structure_id":16023,"section_number":"19.2-185","catch_line":"Testimony may be reduced to writing and subscribed","url":"\/19.2-185\/","token":"19.2\/12\/19.2-185","metadata":false},{"id":79502,"structure_id":16023,"section_number":"19.2-186","catch_line":"When accused to be discharged, tried, committed or bailed by judge","url":"\/19.2-186\/","token":"19.2\/12\/19.2-186","metadata":false},{"id":77353,"structure_id":16023,"section_number":"19.2-187","catch_line":"Admission into evidence of certain certificates of analysis","url":"\/19.2-187\/","token":"19.2\/12\/19.2-187","metadata":false},{"id":77294,"structure_id":16023,"section_number":"19.2-187.01","catch_line":"Certificate of analysis as evidence of chain of custody of material described therein","url":"\/19.2-187.01\/","token":"19.2\/12\/19.2-187.01","metadata":false},{"id":74057,"structure_id":16023,"section_number":"19.2-187.02","catch_line":"Admissibility of written reports or records of blood alcohol tests conducted in the regular course of providing emergency medical treatment","url":"\/19.2-187.02\/","token":"19.2\/12\/19.2-187.02","metadata":false},{"id":73680,"structure_id":16023,"section_number":"19.2-187.1","catch_line":"Procedures for notifying accused of certificate of analysis; waiver; continuances","url":"\/19.2-187.1\/","token":"19.2\/12\/19.2-187.1","metadata":false},{"id":62769,"structure_id":16023,"section_number":"19.2-187.2","catch_line":"Procedure for subpoena duces tecum of analysis evidence","url":"\/19.2-187.2\/","token":"19.2\/12\/19.2-187.2","metadata":false},{"id":84831,"structure_id":16023,"section_number":"19.2-188","catch_line":"Reports by Chief Medical Examiner received as evidence","url":"\/19.2-188\/","token":"19.2\/12\/19.2-188","metadata":false},{"id":67789,"structure_id":16023,"section_number":"19.2-188.1","catch_line":"Testimony regarding identification of controlled substances","url":"\/19.2-188.1\/","token":"19.2\/12\/19.2-188.1","metadata":false},{"id":86564,"structure_id":16023,"section_number":"19.2-188.2","catch_line":"Certificate of surgeon as evidence","url":"\/19.2-188.2\/","token":"19.2\/12\/19.2-188.2","metadata":false},{"id":67819,"structure_id":16023,"section_number":"19.2-188.3","catch_line":"Admissibility of affidavits by government officials regarding a search of government records (Subdivision (10)(b) of Supreme Court Rule 2:803 derived from this section)","url":"\/19.2-188.3\/","token":"19.2\/12\/19.2-188.3","metadata":false},{"id":75982,"structure_id":16023,"section_number":"19.2-188.4","catch_line":"Two-way video testimony related to certain forensic medical examinations","url":"\/19.2-188.4\/","token":"19.2\/12\/19.2-188.4","metadata":false},{"id":75244,"structure_id":16023,"section_number":"19.2-189","catch_line":"Commitment of accused for further examination","url":"\/19.2-189\/","token":"19.2\/12\/19.2-189","metadata":false},{"id":81953,"structure_id":16023,"section_number":"19.2-190","catch_line":"To whom, and when, examination and recognizance to be certified","url":"\/19.2-190\/","token":"19.2\/12\/19.2-190","metadata":false},{"id":64672,"structure_id":16023,"section_number":"19.2-190.1","catch_line":"Certification of ancillary misdemeanor offenses","url":"\/19.2-190.1\/","token":"19.2\/12\/19.2-190.1","metadata":false},{"id":77289,"structure_id":16023,"section_number":"19.2-190.2","catch_line":"Withdrawal of privately retained counsel","url":"\/19.2-190.2\/","token":"19.2\/12\/19.2-190.2","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":82925,"structure_id":16023,"section_number":"19.2-185","catch_line":"Testimony may be reduced to writing and subscribed","url":"\/19.2-185\/","token":"19.2\/12\/19.2-185","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":77353,"structure_id":16023,"section_number":"19.2-187","catch_line":"Admission into evidence of certain certificates of analysis","url":"\/19.2-187\/","token":"19.2\/12\/19.2-187","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/19.2-186\/","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 366; in 1968, chapter 639; in 1973, chapter 485; in 1975, chapter 495; in 1999, chapters 829<\/a> and 846<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":68420,"section_number":"16.1-69.55","catch_line":"Retention of case records; limitations on enforcement of judgments; extensions","order_by":null,"url":"\/16.1-69.55\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":61367,"section_number":"19.2-119","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-119\/"}],"permalink":{"id":168639,"object_type":"law","relational_id":79502,"identifier":"19.2-186","token":"19.2\/12\/19.2-186","url":"\/19.2-186\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/19.2-186\/","token":"19.2\/12\/19.2-186","dublin_core":{"Title":"When accused to be discharged, tried, committed or bailed by judge","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 19.2-186","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

The judge<\/span> shall discharge the accused<\/span> if he considers that there is not sufficient cause for charging him with the offense<\/span>.\n\t\tIf a judge<\/span> considers that there is sufficient cause only to charge the accused<\/span> with an offense<\/span> which the judge<\/span> has jurisdiction<\/span> to try, then he shall try the accused<\/span> for such offense<\/span> and convict him if he deems him guilty and pass judgment<\/span> upon him in accordance with law<\/span> just as if the accused<\/span> had first been brought before him on a warrant charging him with such offense<\/span>.\n\t\tIf a judge<\/span> considers that there is sufficient cause to charge the accused<\/span> with an offense<\/span> that he does not have jurisdiction<\/span> to try then he shall certify the case to the appropriate court<\/span> having jurisdiction<\/span> and shall commit the accused<\/span> to jail or let him to bail<\/span> pursuant to the provisions of Article 1 (\u00a7 19.2-119<\/a> et seq.) of Chapter 9 of this title.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nWHEN ACCUSED TO BE DISCHARGED, TRIED, COMMITTED OR BAILED BY JUDGE (\u00a7 19.2-186)\n\nThe judge shall discharge the accused if he considers that there is not\nsufficient cause for charging him with the offense.\n\t\tIf a judge considers that there is sufficient cause only to charge the accused\nwith an offense which the judge has jurisdiction to try, then he shall try the\naccused for such offense and convict him if he deems him guilty and pass\njudgment upon him in accordance with law just as if the accused had first been\nbrought before him on a warrant charging him with such offense.\n\t\tIf a judge considers that there is sufficient cause to charge the accused with\nan offense that he does not have jurisdiction to try then he shall certify the\ncase to the appropriate court having jurisdiction and shall commit the accused\nto jail or let him to bail pursuant to the provisions of Article 1 (\u00a7 19.2-119\net seq.) of Chapter 9 of this title.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 19.1-106; 1960, c. 366; 1968, c. 639; 1973, c. 485; 1975,\nc. 495; 1999, cc. 829, 846.","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}}