{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/19.2-237.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/19.2-237.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/19.2-237.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/19.2-237.html"}],"law_id":61499,"edition_id":1,"section_id":61499,"structure_id":15411,"section_number":"19.2-237","catch_line":"Process on indictment or presentment for misdemeanor","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7\u00a7 19.1-180, 19.1-184; 1960, c. 366; 1975, c. 495; 1979, c. 468.","full_text":"On any indictment or presentment for a misdemeanor process shall be issued immediately. If the accused appear and plead to the charge, the trial shall proceed without delay, unless good cause for continuance be shown. If, in any misdemeanor case the accused fails to appear and plead, when required the court may either award a capias or proceed to trial in the same manner as if the accused had appeared, plead not guilty and waived trial by jury, provided, that the court shall not in any such case enforce a jail sentence.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":224611,"text":"On any indictment or presentment for a misdemeanor process shall be issued immediately. If the accused appear and plead to the charge, the trial shall proceed without delay, unless good cause for continuance be shown. If, in any misdemeanor case the accused fails to appear and plead, when required the court may either award a capias or proceed to trial in the same manner as if the accused had appeared, plead not guilty and waived trial by jury, provided, that the court shall not in any such case enforce a jail sentence.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":15411,"edition_id":1,"name":"Process","identifier":"4","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":14119,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:54:43","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:54:43","permalink":{"id":168945,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15411,"identifier":"4","token":"19.2\/14\/4","url":"\/19.2\/14\/4\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":14119,"edition_id":1,"name":"Presentments, Indictments and Informations","identifier":"14","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12801,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:46:56","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:46:56","permalink":{"id":168861,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14119,"identifier":"14","token":"19.2\/14","url":"\/19.2\/14\/","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":87050,"structure_id":15411,"section_number":"19.2-232","catch_line":"What process to be awarded against accused on indictment, etc","url":"\/19.2-232\/","token":"19.2\/14\/4\/19.2-232","metadata":false},{"id":64884,"structure_id":15411,"section_number":"19.2-233","catch_line":"How awarded, directed, returnable and executed","url":"\/19.2-233\/","token":"19.2\/14\/4\/19.2-233","metadata":false},{"id":58683,"structure_id":15411,"section_number":"19.2-234","catch_line":"Procedure when person arrested under capias","url":"\/19.2-234\/","token":"19.2\/14\/4\/19.2-234","metadata":false},{"id":70853,"structure_id":15411,"section_number":"19.2-235","catch_line":"Clerks to mail process to officers in other counties, etc","url":"\/19.2-235\/","token":"19.2\/14\/4\/19.2-235","metadata":false},{"id":72296,"structure_id":15411,"section_number":"19.2-236","catch_line":"Where process of arrest may be executed","url":"\/19.2-236\/","token":"19.2\/14\/4\/19.2-236","metadata":false},{"id":61499,"structure_id":15411,"section_number":"19.2-237","catch_line":"Process on indictment or presentment for misdemeanor","url":"\/19.2-237\/","token":"19.2\/14\/4\/19.2-237","metadata":false},{"id":76435,"structure_id":15411,"section_number":"19.2-238","catch_line":"Summons against corporation; proceedings; expense of publication","url":"\/19.2-238\/","token":"19.2\/14\/4\/19.2-238","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":72296,"structure_id":15411,"section_number":"19.2-236","catch_line":"Where process of arrest may be executed","url":"\/19.2-236\/","token":"19.2\/14\/4\/19.2-236","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":76435,"structure_id":15411,"section_number":"19.2-238","catch_line":"Summons against corporation; proceedings; expense of publication","url":"\/19.2-238\/","token":"19.2\/14\/4\/19.2-238","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/19.2-237\/","history_text":"<p>The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 3 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 1979, chapter 468.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":168967,"object_type":"law","relational_id":61499,"identifier":"19.2-237","token":"19.2\/14\/4\/19.2-237","url":"\/19.2-237\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/19.2-237\/","token":"19.2\/14\/4\/19.2-237","dublin_core":{"Title":"Process on indictment or presentment for misdemeanor","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 19.2-237","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section><p>On any <span class=\"dictionary\">indictment<\/span> or <span class=\"dictionary\">presentment<\/span> for a <span class=\"dictionary\">misdemeanor<\/span> process shall be issued immediately. If the <span class=\"dictionary\">accused<\/span> appear and plead to the charge, the <span class=\"dictionary\">trial<\/span> shall proceed without delay, unless good cause for <span class=\"dictionary\">continuance<\/span> be shown. If, in any <span class=\"dictionary\">misdemeanor<\/span> case the <span class=\"dictionary\">accused<\/span> fails to appear and plead, when required the <span class=\"dictionary\">court<\/span> may either award a <span class=\"dictionary\">capias<\/span> or proceed to <span class=\"dictionary\">trial<\/span> in the same manner as if the <span class=\"dictionary\">accused<\/span> had appeared, plead not guilty and waived <span class=\"dictionary\">trial<\/span> by <span class=\"dictionary\">jury<\/span>, provided, that the <span class=\"dictionary\">court<\/span> shall not in any such case enforce a jail sentence.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":"                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPROCESS ON INDICTMENT OR PRESENTMENT FOR MISDEMEANOR (\u00a7 19.2-237)\n\nOn any indictment or presentment for a misdemeanor process shall be issued\nimmediately. If the accused appear and plead to the charge, the trial shall\nproceed without delay, unless good cause for continuance be shown. If, in any\nmisdemeanor case the accused fails to appear and plead, when required the court\nmay either award a capias or proceed to trial in the same manner as if the\naccused had appeared, plead not guilty and waived trial by jury, provided, that\nthe court shall not in any such case enforce a jail sentence.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7\u00a7 19.1-180, 19.1-184; 1960, c. 366; 1975, c. 495; 1979,\nc. 468.","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}}