{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/19.2-267.1.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/19.2-267.1.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/19.2-267.1.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/19.2-267.1.html"}],"law_id":80018,"edition_id":1,"section_id":80018,"structure_id":12962,"section_number":"19.2-267.1","catch_line":"Authority of law-enforcement officer to issue summons to witness; failure to appear","history":"1983, c. 224.","full_text":"A summons may be issued by a law-enforcement officer during the course of his immediate investigation of an alleged misdemeanor for which an arrest warrant is not required pursuant to \u00a7 19.2-81 to any person he reasonably believes was a witness to the offense. The summons shall command the person to appear and testify at the trial of any criminal charge brought against any person as the result of the offense.\n\t\tA summons issued pursuant to this section shall have the same force as if issued by the court. The failure of any person so summoned to appear after receiving written notice of the date, time and place of the trial at least five days prior to the trial shall be punishable as contempt of the court in accordance with \u00a7 18.2-456 (5).","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":286597,"text":"A summons may be issued by a law-enforcement officer during the course of his immediate investigation of an alleged misdemeanor for which an arrest warrant is not required pursuant to \u00a7 19.2-81 to any person he reasonably believes was a witness to the offense. The summons shall command the person to appear and testify at the trial of any criminal charge brought against any person as the result of the offense.\n\t\tA summons issued pursuant to this section shall have the same force as if issued by the court. The failure of any person so summoned to appear after receiving written notice of the date, time and place of the trial at least five days prior to the trial shall be punishable as contempt of the court in accordance with \u00a7 18.2-456 (5).","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":12962,"edition_id":1,"name":"In General","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12961,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:04","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:04","permalink":{"id":169213,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12962,"identifier":"1","token":"19.2\/16\/1","url":"\/19.2\/16\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12961,"edition_id":1,"name":"Evidence and Witnesses","identifier":"16","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12801,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:04","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:04","permalink":{"id":169211,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12961,"identifier":"16","token":"19.2\/16","url":"\/19.2\/16\/","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":70616,"structure_id":12962,"section_number":"19.2-267","catch_line":"Provisions applicable to witnesses in criminal as well as civil cases; obligation to attend; summons","url":"\/19.2-267\/","token":"19.2\/16\/1\/19.2-267","metadata":false},{"id":80018,"structure_id":12962,"section_number":"19.2-267.1","catch_line":"Authority of law-enforcement officer to issue summons to witness; failure to appear","url":"\/19.2-267.1\/","token":"19.2\/16\/1\/19.2-267.1","metadata":false},{"id":58922,"structure_id":12962,"section_number":"19.2-267.2","catch_line":"Response to subpoena for information stored in electronic format","url":"\/19.2-267.2\/","token":"19.2\/16\/1\/19.2-267.2","metadata":false},{"id":83006,"structure_id":12962,"section_number":"19.2-268","catch_line":"Right of accused to testify","url":"\/19.2-268\/","token":"19.2\/16\/1\/19.2-268","metadata":false},{"id":72787,"structure_id":12962,"section_number":"19.2-268.1","catch_line":"Contradiction by prior inconsistent writing (Subdivision (b)(i) of Supreme Court Rule 2:613 derived in part from this section)","url":"\/19.2-268.1\/","token":"19.2\/16\/1\/19.2-268.1","metadata":false},{"id":76061,"structure_id":12962,"section_number":"19.2-268.2","catch_line":"Recent complaint hearsay exception (Subdivision (23) of Supreme Court Rule 2:803 derived from this section)","url":"\/19.2-268.2\/","token":"19.2\/16\/1\/19.2-268.2","metadata":false},{"id":64807,"structure_id":12962,"section_number":"19.2-268.3","catch_line":"Admissibility of statements by children in certain cases","url":"\/19.2-268.3\/","token":"19.2\/16\/1\/19.2-268.3","metadata":false},{"id":79860,"structure_id":12962,"section_number":"19.2-269","catch_line":"Convicts as witnesses (Supreme Court Rule 2:609 derived from this section)","url":"\/19.2-269\/","token":"19.2\/16\/1\/19.2-269","metadata":false},{"id":77666,"structure_id":12962,"section_number":"19.2-269.1","catch_line":"Inmates as witnesses in criminal cases","url":"\/19.2-269.1\/","token":"19.2\/16\/1\/19.2-269.1","metadata":false},{"id":67973,"structure_id":12962,"section_number":"19.2-269.2","catch_line":"Nondisclosure of addresses or telephone numbers of crime victims and witnesses","url":"\/19.2-269.2\/","token":"19.2\/16\/1\/19.2-269.2","metadata":false},{"id":63323,"structure_id":12962,"section_number":"19.2-270","catch_line":"When statement by accused as witness not received as evidence","url":"\/19.2-270\/","token":"19.2\/16\/1\/19.2-270","metadata":false},{"id":86326,"structure_id":12962,"section_number":"19.2-270.1","catch_line":"Use of photographs as evidence in certain larceny and burglary prosecutions","url":"\/19.2-270.1\/","token":"19.2\/16\/1\/19.2-270.1","metadata":false},{"id":86031,"structure_id":12962,"section_number":"19.2-270.1:1","catch_line":"Computer and electronic data in obscenity, etc. cases; access to defendant","url":"\/19.2-270.1_1\/","token":"19.2\/16\/1\/19.2-270.1_1","metadata":false},{"id":54053,"structure_id":12962,"section_number":"19.2-270.2","catch_line":"Disposition of money, securities or documents seized upon arrest, etc., and pertinent as evidence","url":"\/19.2-270.2\/","token":"19.2\/16\/1\/19.2-270.2","metadata":false},{"id":79537,"structure_id":12962,"section_number":"19.2-270.3","catch_line":"Admissible evidence as to identity of party presenting bad check, draft or order","url":"\/19.2-270.3\/","token":"19.2\/16\/1\/19.2-270.3","metadata":false},{"id":59185,"structure_id":12962,"section_number":"19.2-270.4","catch_line":"When donation, destruction, or return of exhibits received in evidence authorized","url":"\/19.2-270.4\/","token":"19.2\/16\/1\/19.2-270.4","metadata":false},{"id":58746,"structure_id":12962,"section_number":"19.2-270.4:1","catch_line":"Storage, preservation and retention of human biological evidence in felony cases","url":"\/19.2-270.4_1\/","token":"19.2\/16\/1\/19.2-270.4_1","metadata":false},{"id":73612,"structure_id":12962,"section_number":"19.2-270.5","catch_line":"DNA profile admissible in criminal proceeding","url":"\/19.2-270.5\/","token":"19.2\/16\/1\/19.2-270.5","metadata":false},{"id":78047,"structure_id":12962,"section_number":"19.2-270.6","catch_line":"Evidence of abuse admissible in certain criminal trials (Supreme Court Rule 2:409 derived from this section)","url":"\/19.2-270.6\/","token":"19.2\/16\/1\/19.2-270.6","metadata":false},{"id":58400,"structure_id":12962,"section_number":"19.2-270.7","catch_line":"Determining decibel level of sound with proper equipment; certificate as to accuracy of equipment","url":"\/19.2-270.7\/","token":"19.2\/16\/1\/19.2-270.7","metadata":false},{"id":82522,"structure_id":12962,"section_number":"19.2-271","catch_line":"Certain judicial officers incompetent to testify under certain circumstances; exceptions (Supreme Court Rule 2:605 derived from this section)","url":"\/19.2-271\/","token":"19.2\/16\/1\/19.2-271","metadata":false},{"id":74995,"structure_id":12962,"section_number":"19.2-271.1","catch_line":"Competency of spouses to testify","url":"\/19.2-271.1\/","token":"19.2\/16\/1\/19.2-271.1","metadata":false},{"id":66486,"structure_id":12962,"section_number":"19.2-271.2","catch_line":"Testimony of spouses in criminal cases (Subsection (b) of Supreme Court Rule 2:504 derived from this section)","url":"\/19.2-271.2\/","token":"19.2\/16\/1\/19.2-271.2","metadata":false},{"id":54753,"structure_id":12962,"section_number":"19.2-271.3","catch_line":"Communications between ministers of religion and persons they counsel or advise (Supreme Court Rule 2:503 derived in part from this section)","url":"\/19.2-271.3\/","token":"19.2\/16\/1\/19.2-271.3","metadata":false},{"id":74779,"structure_id":12962,"section_number":"19.2-271.4","catch_line":"Privileged communications by certain public safety personnel","url":"\/19.2-271.4\/","token":"19.2\/16\/1\/19.2-271.4","metadata":false},{"id":55255,"structure_id":12962,"section_number":"19.2-271.5","catch_line":"Protected information; newspersons engaged in journalism","url":"\/19.2-271.5\/","token":"19.2\/16\/1\/19.2-271.5","metadata":false},{"id":58525,"structure_id":12962,"section_number":"19.2-271.6","catch_line":"Evidence of defendant's mental condition admissible; notice to Commonwealth","url":"\/19.2-271.6\/","token":"19.2\/16\/1\/19.2-271.6","metadata":false},{"id":63925,"structure_id":12962,"section_number":"19.2-271.7","catch_line":"Notifying defendant of consequences criminal proceedings can have on immigration","url":"\/19.2-271.7\/","token":"19.2\/16\/1\/19.2-271.7","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":70616,"structure_id":12962,"section_number":"19.2-267","catch_line":"Provisions applicable to witnesses in criminal as well as civil cases; obligation to attend; summons","url":"\/19.2-267\/","token":"19.2\/16\/1\/19.2-267","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":58922,"structure_id":12962,"section_number":"19.2-267.2","catch_line":"Response to subpoena for information stored in electronic format","url":"\/19.2-267.2\/","token":"19.2\/16\/1\/19.2-267.2","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/19.2-267.1\/","history_text":"<p>This law was first created in 1983. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 224 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 1983 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":70926,"section_number":"18.2-456","catch_line":"Cases in which courts and judges may punish summarily for contempt","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-456\/"},{"id":60675,"section_number":"19.2-81","catch_line":"Arrest without warrant authorized in certain cases","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-81\/"}],"permalink":{"id":169219,"object_type":"law","relational_id":80018,"identifier":"19.2-267.1","token":"19.2\/16\/1\/19.2-267.1","url":"\/19.2-267.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/19.2-267.1\/","token":"19.2\/16\/1\/19.2-267.1","dublin_core":{"Title":"Authority of law-enforcement officer to issue summons to witness; failure to appear","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 19.2-267.1","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section><p>A <span class=\"dictionary\">summons<\/span> may be issued by a <span class=\"dictionary\">law<\/span>-enforcement officer during the course of his immediate investigation of an alleged <span class=\"dictionary\">misdemeanor<\/span> for which an <span class=\"dictionary\">arrest<\/span> warrant is not required pursuant to \u00a7&nbsp;<a class=\"law\" title=\"Arrest without warrant authorized in certain cases\" href=\"\/19.2-81\/\">19.2-81<\/a> to any person he reasonably believes was a <span class=\"dictionary\">witness<\/span> to the <span class=\"dictionary\">offense<\/span>. The <span class=\"dictionary\">summons<\/span> shall command the person to appear and testify at the <span class=\"dictionary\">trial<\/span> of any criminal charge brought against any person as the result of the <span class=\"dictionary\">offense<\/span>.\n\t\tA <span class=\"dictionary\">summons<\/span> issued pursuant to this section shall have the same force as if issued by the <span class=\"dictionary\">court<\/span>. The failure of any person so summoned to appear after receiving written notice of the date, time and place of the <span class=\"dictionary\">trial<\/span> at least five days prior to the <span class=\"dictionary\">trial<\/span> shall be punishable as <span class=\"dictionary\">contempt<\/span> of the <span class=\"dictionary\">court<\/span> in accordance with \u00a7&nbsp;<a class=\"law\" title=\"Cases in which courts and judges may punish summarily for contempt\" href=\"\/18.2-456\/\">18.2-456<\/a> (5).<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":"                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nAUTHORITY OF LAW-ENFORCEMENT OFFICER TO ISSUE SUMMONS TO WITNESS; FAILURE TO\nAPPEAR (\u00a7 19.2-267.1)\n\nA summons may be issued by a law-enforcement officer during the course of his\nimmediate investigation of an alleged misdemeanor for which an arrest warrant is\nnot required pursuant to \u00a7 19.2-81 to any person he reasonably believes was a\nwitness to the offense. The summons shall command the person to appear and\ntestify at the trial of any criminal charge brought against any person as the\nresult of the offense.\n\t\tA summons issued pursuant to this section shall have the same force as if\nissued by the court. The failure of any person so summoned to appear after\nreceiving written notice of the date, time and place of the trial at least five\ndays prior to the trial shall be punishable as contempt of the court in\naccordance with \u00a7 18.2-456 (5).\n\nHISTORY: 1983, c. 224.","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}}