{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/19.2-20.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/19.2-20.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/19.2-20.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/19.2-20.html"}],"law_id":61978,"edition_id":1,"section_id":61978,"structure_id":15938,"section_number":"19.2-20","catch_line":"Same; complaint and issuance of warrant therefor","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 19.1-21; 1960, c. 366; 1975, c. 495; 1978, c. 500; 1979, c. 708.","full_text":"If complaint be made to any magistrate or judge that a person should be required to give a recognizance to keep the peace due to any of the reasons set forth in \u00a7 19.2-19, such magistrate or judge shall examine on oath the complainant, and any witness who may be produced, reduce the complaint to writing, and cause it to be signed by the complainant; and if probable cause is established, such magistrate or judge shall issue a warrant, reciting the complaint, and requiring the person complained of forthwith to be apprehended and brought before the district court having appropriate jurisdiction.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":226217,"text":"If complaint be made to any magistrate or judge that a person should be required to give a recognizance to keep the peace due to any of the reasons set forth in \u00a7 19.2-19, such magistrate or judge shall examine on oath the complainant, and any witness who may be produced, reduce the complaint to writing, and cause it to be signed by the complainant; and if probable cause is established, such magistrate or judge shall issue a warrant, reciting the complaint, and requiring the person complained of forthwith to be apprehended and brought before the district court having appropriate jurisdiction.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":15938,"edition_id":1,"name":"Powers and Duties","identifier":"2","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":14410,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 04:02:20","date_modified":"2026-06-26 04:02:20","permalink":{"id":169895,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15938,"identifier":"2","token":"19.2\/2\/2","url":"\/19.2\/2\/2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":14410,"edition_id":1,"name":"Conservators of the Peace and Special Policemen","identifier":"2","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12801,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:48:02","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:48:02","permalink":{"id":169863,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14410,"identifier":"2","token":"19.2\/2","url":"\/19.2\/2\/","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":73982,"structure_id":15938,"section_number":"19.2-18","catch_line":"Powers and duties generally","url":"\/19.2-18\/","token":"19.2\/2\/2\/19.2-18","metadata":false},{"id":78852,"structure_id":15938,"section_number":"19.2-19","catch_line":"Recognizance to keep the peace; when required","url":"\/19.2-19\/","token":"19.2\/2\/2\/19.2-19","metadata":false},{"id":61978,"structure_id":15938,"section_number":"19.2-20","catch_line":"Same; complaint and issuance of warrant therefor","url":"\/19.2-20\/","token":"19.2\/2\/2\/19.2-20","metadata":false},{"id":83799,"structure_id":15938,"section_number":"19.2-21","catch_line":"Same; procedure when accused appears","url":"\/19.2-21\/","token":"19.2\/2\/2\/19.2-21","metadata":false},{"id":62458,"structure_id":15938,"section_number":"19.2-22","catch_line":"Same; arrest without a warrant","url":"\/19.2-22\/","token":"19.2\/2\/2\/19.2-22","metadata":false},{"id":81806,"structure_id":15938,"section_number":"19.2-23","catch_line":"Payment of fees or mileage allowances into county or city treasury","url":"\/19.2-23\/","token":"19.2\/2\/2\/19.2-23","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":78852,"structure_id":15938,"section_number":"19.2-19","catch_line":"Recognizance to keep the peace; when required","url":"\/19.2-19\/","token":"19.2\/2\/2\/19.2-19","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":83799,"structure_id":15938,"section_number":"19.2-21","catch_line":"Same; procedure when accused appears","url":"\/19.2-21\/","token":"19.2\/2\/2\/19.2-21","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/19.2-20\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\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 1960, chapter 366; in 1975, chapter 495; in 1978, chapter 500; in 1979, chapter 708.<\/p>","references":[{"id":62458,"section_number":"19.2-22","catch_line":"Same; arrest without a warrant","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-22\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":78852,"section_number":"19.2-19","catch_line":"Recognizance to keep the peace; when required","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-19\/"}],"permalink":{"id":169905,"object_type":"law","relational_id":61978,"identifier":"19.2-20","token":"19.2\/2\/2\/19.2-20","url":"\/19.2-20\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/19.2-20\/","token":"19.2\/2\/2\/19.2-20","dublin_core":{"Title":"Same; complaint and issuance of warrant therefor","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 19.2-20","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

If complaint be made to any magistrate<\/span> or judge<\/span> that a person should be required to give a recognizance<\/span> to keep the peace due to any of the reasons set forth in \u00a7 19.2-19<\/a>, such magistrate<\/span> or judge<\/span> shall examine on oath<\/span> the complainant, and any witness<\/span> who may be produced, reduce the complaint to writing, and cause it to be signed by the complainant; and if probable cause<\/span> is established, such magistrate<\/span> or judge<\/span> shall issue<\/span> a warrant, reciting the complaint, and requiring the person complained of forthwith to be apprehended and brought before the district court<\/span> having appropriate jurisdiction<\/span>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nSAME; COMPLAINT AND ISSUANCE OF WARRANT THEREFOR (\u00a7 19.2-20)\n\nIf complaint be made to any magistrate or judge that a person should be required\nto give a recognizance to keep the peace due to any of the reasons set forth in\n\u00a7 19.2-19, such magistrate or judge shall examine on oath the complainant, and\nany witness who may be produced, reduce the complaint to writing, and cause it\nto be signed by the complainant; and if probable cause is established, such\nmagistrate or judge shall issue a warrant, reciting the complaint, and requiring\nthe person complained of forthwith to be apprehended and brought before the\ndistrict court having appropriate jurisdiction.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 19.1-21; 1960, c. 366; 1975, c. 495; 1978, c. 500; 1979,\nc. 708.","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}}