{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/19.2-244.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/19.2-244.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/19.2-244.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/19.2-244.html"}],"law_id":85415,"edition_id":1,"section_id":85415,"structure_id":14308,"section_number":"19.2-244","catch_line":"Venue in general","history":"1975, c. 495; 2015, cc. 632, 637; 2018, c. 164.","full_text":"A\n\nExcept as otherwise provided by law, the prosecution of a criminal case shall be had in the county or city in which the offense was committed. Except as to motions for a change of venue, all other questions of venue must be raised before verdict in cases tried by a jury and before the finding of guilty in cases tried by the court without a jury.B\n\nIf an offense has been committed within the Commonwealth and it cannot readily be determined within which county or city the offense was committed, venue for the prosecution of the offense may be had in the county or city (i) in which the defendant resides; (ii) if the defendant is not a resident of the Commonwealth, in which the defendant is apprehended; or (iii) if the defendant is not a resident of the Commonwealth and is not apprehended in the Commonwealth, in which any related offense was committed.C\n\nThe courts of a locality shall have concurrent jurisdiction with the courts of any other locality adjoining such locality over criminal offenses committed in or upon the premises, buildings, rooms, or offices owned or occupied by such locality or any officer, agency, or department thereof that are located in the adjoining locality.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":305994,"text":"Except as otherwise provided by law, the prosecution of a criminal case shall be had in the county or city in which the offense was committed. Except as to motions for a change of venue, all other questions of venue must be raised before verdict in cases tried by a jury and before the finding of guilty in cases tried by the court without a jury.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":305995,"text":"If an offense has been committed within the Commonwealth and it cannot readily be determined within which county or city the offense was committed, venue for the prosecution of the offense may be had in the county or city (i) in which the defendant resides; (ii) if the defendant is not a resident of the Commonwealth, in which the defendant is apprehended; or (iii) if the defendant is not a resident of the Commonwealth and is not apprehended in the Commonwealth, in which any related offense was committed.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":305996,"text":"The courts of a locality shall have concurrent jurisdiction with the courts of any other locality adjoining such locality over criminal offenses committed in or upon the premises, buildings, rooms, or offices owned or occupied by such locality or any officer, agency, or department thereof that are located in the adjoining locality.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B"}},"ancestry":[{"id":14308,"edition_id":1,"name":"Venue","identifier":"2","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12803,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:47:41","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:47:41","permalink":{"id":168999,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14308,"identifier":"2","token":"19.2\/15\/2","url":"\/19.2\/15\/2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12803,"edition_id":1,"name":"Trial and Its Incidents","identifier":"15","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12801,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:53","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:53","permalink":{"id":168975,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12803,"identifier":"15","token":"19.2\/15","url":"\/19.2\/15\/","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":85415,"structure_id":14308,"section_number":"19.2-244","catch_line":"Venue in general","url":"\/19.2-244\/","token":"19.2\/15\/2\/19.2-244","metadata":false},{"id":82346,"structure_id":14308,"section_number":"19.2-245","catch_line":"Offenses committed without and made punishable within Commonwealth; embezzlement or larceny committed within Commonwealth; where prosecuted","url":"\/19.2-245\/","token":"19.2\/15\/2\/19.2-245","metadata":false},{"id":65388,"structure_id":14308,"section_number":"19.2-245.01","catch_line":"Offenses involving reports or statements concerning cigarette sales or stamping","url":"\/19.2-245.01\/","token":"19.2\/15\/2\/19.2-245.01","metadata":false},{"id":73659,"structure_id":14308,"section_number":"19.2-245.1","catch_line":"Forgery; where prosecuted","url":"\/19.2-245.1\/","token":"19.2\/15\/2\/19.2-245.1","metadata":false},{"id":71185,"structure_id":14308,"section_number":"19.2-245.2","catch_line":"Tax offenses; where prosecuted","url":"\/19.2-245.2\/","token":"19.2\/15\/2\/19.2-245.2","metadata":false},{"id":57596,"structure_id":14308,"section_number":"19.2-246","catch_line":"Injury inflicted by person within Commonwealth upon one outside Commonwealth","url":"\/19.2-246\/","token":"19.2\/15\/2\/19.2-246","metadata":false},{"id":70100,"structure_id":14308,"section_number":"19.2-247","catch_line":"Venue in certain homicide cases","url":"\/19.2-247\/","token":"19.2\/15\/2\/19.2-247","metadata":false},{"id":69472,"structure_id":14308,"section_number":"19.2-248","catch_line":"Venue when mortal wound, etc., inflicted in one county and death ensues in another","url":"\/19.2-248\/","token":"19.2\/15\/2\/19.2-248","metadata":false},{"id":78754,"structure_id":14308,"section_number":"19.2-249","catch_line":"Offenses committed on boundary of two counties, two cities, or county and city, etc.; where prosecuted","url":"\/19.2-249\/","token":"19.2\/15\/2\/19.2-249","metadata":false},{"id":55592,"structure_id":14308,"section_number":"19.2-249.1","catch_line":"Offenses committed within towns situated in two or more counties; where prosecuted","url":"\/19.2-249.1\/","token":"19.2\/15\/2\/19.2-249.1","metadata":false},{"id":82171,"structure_id":14308,"section_number":"19.2-249.2","catch_line":"Venue for prosecution of computer and other crimes","url":"\/19.2-249.2\/","token":"19.2\/15\/2\/19.2-249.2","metadata":false},{"id":73322,"structure_id":14308,"section_number":"19.2-250","catch_line":"How far jurisdiction of corporate authorities extends","url":"\/19.2-250\/","token":"19.2\/15\/2\/19.2-250","metadata":false},{"id":70601,"structure_id":14308,"section_number":"19.2-251","catch_line":"When and how venue may be changed","url":"\/19.2-251\/","token":"19.2\/15\/2\/19.2-251","metadata":false},{"id":63582,"structure_id":14308,"section_number":"19.2-252","catch_line":"Court ordering change of venue may admit accused to bail and recognize witnesses; remand of accused not admitted to bail","url":"\/19.2-252\/","token":"19.2\/15\/2\/19.2-252","metadata":false},{"id":62880,"structure_id":14308,"section_number":"19.2-253","catch_line":"Procedure upon and after change of venue","url":"\/19.2-253\/","token":"19.2\/15\/2\/19.2-253","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":82346,"structure_id":14308,"section_number":"19.2-245","catch_line":"Offenses committed without and made punishable within Commonwealth; embezzlement or larceny committed within Commonwealth; where prosecuted","url":"\/19.2-245\/","token":"19.2\/15\/2\/19.2-245","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/19.2-244\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1975. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 495 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 1975 \u201cActs\u201d aren\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 2015, chapters 632<\/a> and 637<\/a>; in 2018, chapter 164<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":85805,"section_number":"16.1-123.1","catch_line":"Criminal and traffic jurisdiction of general district courts","order_by":null,"url":"\/16.1-123.1\/"},{"id":54258,"section_number":"18.2-111","catch_line":"Embezzlement deemed larceny; indictment","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-111\/"},{"id":68971,"section_number":"18.2-198.1","catch_line":"Venue","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-198.1\/"},{"id":79339,"section_number":"18.2-517","catch_line":"Venue for prosecution","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-517\/"},{"id":78364,"section_number":"18.2-95","catch_line":"Grand larceny defined; how punished","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-95\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":169001,"object_type":"law","relational_id":85415,"identifier":"19.2-244","token":"19.2\/15\/2\/19.2-244","url":"\/19.2-244\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/19.2-244\/","token":"19.2\/15\/2\/19.2-244","dublin_core":{"Title":"Venue in general","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 19.2-244","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> Except as otherwise provided by law<\/span>, the prosecution<\/span> of a criminal case shall be had in the county or city in which the offense<\/span> was committed. Except as to motions<\/span> for a change of venue<\/span>, all other questions of venue<\/span> must be raised before verdict<\/span> in cases tried by a jury<\/span> and before the finding<\/span> of guilty in cases tried by the court<\/span> without a jury<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> If an offense<\/span> has been committed within the Commonwealth and it cannot readily be determined within which county or city the offense<\/span> was committed, venue<\/span> for the prosecution<\/span> of the offense<\/span> may be had in the county or city (i) in which the defendant<\/span> resides; (ii) if the defendant<\/span> is not a resident of the Commonwealth, in which the defendant<\/span> is apprehended; or (iii) if the defendant<\/span> is not a resident of the Commonwealth and is not apprehended in the Commonwealth, in which any related offense<\/span> was committed. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> The courts<\/span> of a locality shall have concurrent jurisdiction<\/span> with the courts<\/span> of any other locality adjoining such locality over criminal offenses<\/span> committed in or upon the premises, buildings, rooms, or offices owned or occupied by such locality or any officer, agency, or department thereof that are located in the adjoining locality. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nVENUE IN GENERAL (\u00a7 19.2-244)\n\nA. Except as otherwise provided by law, the prosecution of a criminal case shall\nbe had in the county or city in which the offense was committed. Except as to\nmotions for a change of venue, all other questions of venue must be raised\nbefore verdict in cases tried by a jury and before the finding of guilty in\ncases tried by the court without a jury.\n\nB. If an offense has been committed within the Commonwealth and it cannot\nreadily be determined within which county or city the offense was committed,\nvenue for the prosecution of the offense may be had in the county or city (i) in\nwhich the defendant resides; (ii) if the defendant is not a resident of the\nCommonwealth, in which the defendant is apprehended; or (iii) if the defendant\nis not a resident of the Commonwealth and is not apprehended in the\nCommonwealth, in which any related offense was committed.\n\nC. The courts of a locality shall have concurrent jurisdiction with the courts\nof any other locality adjoining such locality over criminal offenses committed\nin or upon the premises, buildings, rooms, or offices owned or occupied by such\nlocality or any officer, agency, or department thereof that are located in the\nadjoining locality.\n\nHISTORY: 1975, c. 495; 2015, cc. 632, 637; 2018, c. 164.","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}}