{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/19.2-254.1.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/19.2-254.1.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/19.2-254.1.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/19.2-254.1.html"}],"law_id":75133,"edition_id":1,"section_id":75133,"structure_id":12804,"section_number":"19.2-254.1","catch_line":"Procedure in traffic infraction cases","history":"1977, c. 585; 1978, c. 605; 1992, c. 54.","full_text":"In a traffic infraction case, as defined in \u00a7 46.2-100, involving an offense included in the uniform fine schedule established pursuant to \u00a7 16.1-69.40:1, a defendant may elect to enter a written appearance and waive court hearing, except in instances in which property damage or personal injury resulted. Arraignment is not necessary when waived by the accused or his counsel, when the accused fails to appear, or when such written appearance has been elected.\n\t\tAn accused may plead not guilty, guilty, or nolo contendere; and the court shall not refuse to accept a plea of nolo contendere. A plea of guilty may be entered in writing without court appearance.\n\t\tWhen an accused tenders payment without executing a written waiver of court hearing and entry of guilty plea, such tender of payment shall itself be deemed a waiver of court hearing and entry of guilty plea.\n\t\tIn districts with traffic violations bureaus on July 1, 1977, the chief judge of the district may designate the traffic violations bureau for the receipt of a written appearance, waiver of court hearing and guilty plea.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":269836,"text":"In a traffic infraction case, as defined in \u00a7 46.2-100, involving an offense included in the uniform fine schedule established pursuant to \u00a7 16.1-69.40:1, a defendant may elect to enter a written appearance and waive court hearing, except in instances in which property damage or personal injury resulted. Arraignment is not necessary when waived by the accused or his counsel, when the accused fails to appear, or when such written appearance has been elected.\n\t\tAn accused may plead not guilty, guilty, or nolo contendere; and the court shall not refuse to accept a plea of nolo contendere. A plea of guilty may be entered in writing without court appearance.\n\t\tWhen an accused tenders payment without executing a written waiver of court hearing and entry of guilty plea, such tender of payment shall itself be deemed a waiver of court hearing and entry of guilty plea.\n\t\tIn districts with traffic violations bureaus on July 1, 1977, the chief judge of the district may designate the traffic violations bureau for the receipt of a written appearance, waiver of court hearing and guilty plea.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":12804,"edition_id":1,"name":"Arraignment; Pleas; Trial Without Jury","identifier":"3","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12803,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:53","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:53","permalink":{"id":169061,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12804,"identifier":"3","token":"19.2\/15\/3","url":"\/19.2\/15\/3\/","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":79103,"structure_id":12804,"section_number":"19.2-254","catch_line":"Arraignment; pleas; when court may refuse to accept plea; rejection of plea agreement; recusal","url":"\/19.2-254\/","token":"19.2\/15\/3\/19.2-254","metadata":false},{"id":75133,"structure_id":12804,"section_number":"19.2-254.1","catch_line":"Procedure in traffic infraction cases","url":"\/19.2-254.1\/","token":"19.2\/15\/3\/19.2-254.1","metadata":false},{"id":53970,"structure_id":12804,"section_number":"19.2-254.2","catch_line":"Procedure in nontraffic offenses for which prepayment is authorized","url":"\/19.2-254.2\/","token":"19.2\/15\/3\/19.2-254.2","metadata":false},{"id":81531,"structure_id":12804,"section_number":"19.2-255","catch_line":"Defendant allowed to plead several matters of law or fact","url":"\/19.2-255\/","token":"19.2\/15\/3\/19.2-255","metadata":false},{"id":72119,"structure_id":12804,"section_number":"19.2-256","catch_line":"Approvers","url":"\/19.2-256\/","token":"19.2\/15\/3\/19.2-256","metadata":false},{"id":66074,"structure_id":12804,"section_number":"19.2-257","catch_line":"Trial without jury in felony cases","url":"\/19.2-257\/","token":"19.2\/15\/3\/19.2-257","metadata":false},{"id":67559,"structure_id":12804,"section_number":"19.2-258","catch_line":"Trial of misdemeanors by court without jury; failure to appear deemed waiver of jury","url":"\/19.2-258\/","token":"19.2\/15\/3\/19.2-258","metadata":false},{"id":62674,"structure_id":12804,"section_number":"19.2-258.1","catch_line":"Trial of traffic infractions; measure of proof; failure to appear","url":"\/19.2-258.1\/","token":"19.2\/15\/3\/19.2-258.1","metadata":false},{"id":81110,"structure_id":12804,"section_number":"19.2-259","catch_line":"On trial for felony, accused to be present; when court may enter plea for him, and trial go on","url":"\/19.2-259\/","token":"19.2\/15\/3\/19.2-259","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":79103,"structure_id":12804,"section_number":"19.2-254","catch_line":"Arraignment; pleas; when court may refuse to accept plea; rejection of plea agreement; recusal","url":"\/19.2-254\/","token":"19.2\/15\/3\/19.2-254","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":53970,"structure_id":12804,"section_number":"19.2-254.2","catch_line":"Procedure in nontraffic offenses for which prepayment is authorized","url":"\/19.2-254.2\/","token":"19.2\/15\/3\/19.2-254.2","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/19.2-254.1\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1977. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 585 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 1977 \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 1978, chapter 605; in 1992, chapter 54.<\/p>","references":[{"id":68938,"section_number":"46.2-382.1","catch_line":"Courts to make findings relating to commercial motor vehicles","order_by":null,"url":"\/46.2-382.1\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":78789,"section_number":"16.1-69.40:1","catch_line":"Traffic infractions within authority of traffic violations clerk; schedule of fines; prepayment of local ordinances","order_by":null,"url":"\/16.1-69.40_1\/"},{"id":82691,"section_number":"46.2-100","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/46.2-100\/"}],"permalink":{"id":169067,"object_type":"law","relational_id":75133,"identifier":"19.2-254.1","token":"19.2\/15\/3\/19.2-254.1","url":"\/19.2-254.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/19.2-254.1\/","token":"19.2\/15\/3\/19.2-254.1","dublin_core":{"Title":"Procedure in traffic infraction cases","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 19.2-254.1","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

In a traffic infraction case, as defined in \u00a7 46.2-100<\/a>, involving an offense<\/span> included in the uniform fine schedule established pursuant to \u00a7 16.1-69.40:1<\/a>, a defendant<\/span> may elect to enter a written appearance<\/span> and waive<\/span> court<\/span> hearing<\/span>, except in instances in which property damage or personal injury resulted. Arraignment<\/span> is not necessary when waived by the accused<\/span> or his counsel<\/span>, when the accused<\/span> fails to appear, or when such written appearance<\/span> has been elected.\n\t\tAn accused<\/span> may plead not guilty, guilty, or nolo contendere<\/span>; and the court<\/span> shall not refuse to accept a plea<\/span> of nolo contendere<\/span>. A plea<\/span> of guilty may be entered in writing without court<\/span> appearance<\/span>.\n\t\tWhen an accused<\/span> tenders payment without executing a written waiver<\/span> of court<\/span> hearing<\/span> and entry of guilty plea<\/span>, such tender of payment shall itself be deemed a waiver<\/span> of court<\/span> hearing<\/span> and entry of guilty plea<\/span>.\n\t\tIn districts with traffic violations bureaus on July 1, 1977, the chief judge<\/span> of the district may designate the traffic violations bureau for the receipt of a written appearance<\/span>, waiver<\/span> of court<\/span> hearing<\/span> and guilty plea<\/span>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPROCEDURE IN TRAFFIC INFRACTION CASES (\u00a7 19.2-254.1)\n\nIn a traffic infraction case, as defined in \u00a7 46.2-100, involving an offense\nincluded in the uniform fine schedule established pursuant to \u00a7 16.1-69.40:1, a\ndefendant may elect to enter a written appearance and waive court hearing,\nexcept in instances in which property damage or personal injury resulted.\nArraignment is not necessary when waived by the accused or his counsel, when the\naccused fails to appear, or when such written appearance has been elected.\n\t\tAn accused may plead not guilty, guilty, or nolo contendere; and the court\nshall not refuse to accept a plea of nolo contendere. A plea of guilty may be\nentered in writing without court appearance.\n\t\tWhen an accused tenders payment without executing a written waiver of court\nhearing and entry of guilty plea, such tender of payment shall itself be deemed\na waiver of court hearing and entry of guilty plea.\n\t\tIn districts with traffic violations bureaus on July 1, 1977, the chief judge\nof the district may designate the traffic violations bureau for the receipt of a\nwritten appearance, waiver of court hearing and guilty plea.\n\nHISTORY: 1977, c. 585; 1978, c. 605; 1992, c. 54.","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}}