{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/24.2-121.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/24.2-121.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/24.2-121.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/24.2-121.html"}],"law_id":75307,"edition_id":1,"section_id":75307,"structure_id":14913,"section_number":"24.2-121","catch_line":"Defense of the electoral board, its members, and the general registrar staff; appointment of counsel","history":"1986, c. 558, \u00a7 24.1-31.1; 1990, c. 201; 1993, c. 641; 2005, cc. 492, 548; 2022, c. 140.","full_text":"If any electoral board, any of its members, any general registrar, or any employee of or paid deputy to a registrar is made defendant in any civil action arising out of the performance of his official duties, and does not have legal defense provided under applicable insurance coverage, the officer, employee, or deputy may apply to the Virginia Division of Risk Management to assign counsel for his defense in the action. In such case, and regardless of whether or not the civil action seeks monetary damages, the Division shall obtain one or more attorneys to defend such action, which attorney may be the Attorney General, the attorney for the Commonwealth of the particular locality served by the defendant, or one or more private attorneys as may be appropriate. In the case of any private attorney, the Division shall determine the appropriate rate of compensation. All private attorneys’ fees and any expenses incurred in the defense of the action shall be paid from the treasury of the Commonwealth of Virginia.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":270374,"text":"If any electoral board, any of its members, any general registrar, or any employee of or paid deputy to a registrar is made defendant in any civil action arising out of the performance of his official duties, and does not have legal defense provided under applicable insurance coverage, the officer, employee, or deputy may apply to the Virginia Division of Risk Management to assign counsel for his defense in the action. In such case, and regardless of whether or not the civil action seeks monetary damages, the Division shall obtain one or more attorneys to defend such action, which attorney may be the Attorney General, the attorney for the Commonwealth of the particular locality served by the defendant, or one or more private attorneys as may be appropriate. In the case of any private attorney, the Division shall determine the appropriate rate of compensation. All private attorneys’ fees and any expenses incurred in the defense of the action shall be paid from the treasury of the Commonwealth of Virginia.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":14913,"edition_id":1,"name":"Miscellaneous Provisions","identifier":"6","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13929,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:50:45","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:50:45","permalink":{"id":187291,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14913,"identifier":"6","token":"24.2\/1\/6","url":"\/24.2\/1\/6\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13929,"edition_id":1,"name":"General Provisions and Administration","identifier":"1","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12937,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:46:19","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:46:19","permalink":{"id":187151,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13929,"identifier":"1","token":"24.2\/1","url":"\/24.2\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12937,"edition_id":1,"name":"Elections","identifier":"24.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:03","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:03","permalink":{"id":187149,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12937,"identifier":"24.2","token":"24.2","url":"\/24.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":62286,"structure_id":14913,"section_number":"24.2-119","catch_line":"Restrictions on persons holding other offices serving as member of electoral board, registrar, or officer of election","url":"\/24.2-119\/","token":"24.2\/1\/6\/24.2-119","metadata":false},{"id":77598,"structure_id":14913,"section_number":"24.2-119.1","catch_line":"Prohibition on discrimination in employment; penalty","url":"\/24.2-119.1\/","token":"24.2\/1\/6\/24.2-119.1","metadata":false},{"id":63360,"structure_id":14913,"section_number":"24.2-120","catch_line":"Oath of office","url":"\/24.2-120\/","token":"24.2\/1\/6\/24.2-120","metadata":false},{"id":75307,"structure_id":14913,"section_number":"24.2-121","catch_line":"Defense of the electoral board, its members, and the general registrar staff; appointment of counsel","url":"\/24.2-121\/","token":"24.2\/1\/6\/24.2-121","metadata":false},{"id":60309,"structure_id":14913,"section_number":"24.2-122","catch_line":"Status of members of electoral boards, registrars, and officers of election","url":"\/24.2-122\/","token":"24.2\/1\/6\/24.2-122","metadata":false},{"id":85280,"structure_id":14913,"section_number":"24.2-123","catch_line":"Requirements for registration and voting; prohibition on use of power of attorney","url":"\/24.2-123\/","token":"24.2\/1\/6\/24.2-123","metadata":false},{"id":56923,"structure_id":14913,"section_number":"24.2-124","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/24.2-124\/","token":"24.2\/1\/6\/24.2-124","metadata":false},{"id":71441,"structure_id":14913,"section_number":"24.2-124.1","catch_line":"Acceptance of certain gifts and funding prohibited","url":"\/24.2-124.1\/","token":"24.2\/1\/6\/24.2-124.1","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":63360,"structure_id":14913,"section_number":"24.2-120","catch_line":"Oath of office","url":"\/24.2-120\/","token":"24.2\/1\/6\/24.2-120","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":60309,"structure_id":14913,"section_number":"24.2-122","catch_line":"Status of members of electoral boards, registrars, and officers of election","url":"\/24.2-122\/","token":"24.2\/1\/6\/24.2-122","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/24.2-121\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1986. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 558 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 1986 \u201cActs\u201d aren\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 1990, chapter 201; in 1993, chapter 641; in 2005, chapters 492<\/a> and 548<\/a>; in 2022, chapter 140<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":64674,"section_number":"2.2-1837","catch_line":"Risk management plan for public liability","order_by":null,"url":"\/2.2-1837\/"},{"id":85062,"section_number":"24.2-234.1","catch_line":"Removal of members of local electoral boards and general registrars","order_by":null,"url":"\/24.2-234.1\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":187305,"object_type":"law","relational_id":75307,"identifier":"24.2-121","token":"24.2\/1\/6\/24.2-121","url":"\/24.2-121\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/24.2-121\/","token":"24.2\/1\/6\/24.2-121","dublin_core":{"Title":"Defense of the electoral board, its members, and the general registrar staff; appointment of counsel","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 24.2-121","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

If any electoral board<\/span>, any of its members, any general registrar<\/span>, or any employee of or paid deputy to a registrar is made defendant<\/span> in any civil action<\/span> arising out of the performance of his official duties, and does not have legal defense provided under applicable insurance coverage, the officer, employee, or deputy may apply to the Virginia Division of Risk Management to assign counsel<\/span> for his defense in the action. In such case, and regardless of whether or not the civil action<\/span> seeks monetary damages<\/span>, the Division shall obtain one or more attorneys to defend such action, which attorney may be the Attorney General<\/span>, the attorney for the Commonwealth of the particular locality served by the defendant<\/span>, or one or more private attorneys as may be appropriate. In the case of any private attorney, the Division shall determine the appropriate rate of compensation. All private attorneys’ fees and any expenses incurred in the defense of the action shall be paid from the treasury of the Commonwealth of Virginia.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nDEFENSE OF THE ELECTORAL BOARD, ITS MEMBERS, AND THE GENERAL REGISTRAR STAFF;\nAPPOINTMENT OF COUNSEL (\u00a7 24.2-121)\n\nIf any electoral board, any of its members, any general registrar, or any\nemployee of or paid deputy to a registrar is made defendant in any civil action\narising out of the performance of his official duties, and does not have legal\ndefense provided under applicable insurance coverage, the officer, employee, or\ndeputy may apply to the Virginia Division of Risk Management to assign counsel\nfor his defense in the action. In such case, and regardless of whether or not\nthe civil action seeks monetary damages, the Division shall obtain one or more\nattorneys to defend such action, which attorney may be the Attorney General, the\nattorney for the Commonwealth of the particular locality served by the\ndefendant, or one or more private attorneys as may be appropriate. In the case\nof any private attorney, the Division shall determine the appropriate rate of\ncompensation. All private attorneys’ fees and any expenses incurred in the\ndefense of the action shall be paid from the treasury of the Commonwealth of\nVirginia.\n\nHISTORY: 1986, c. 558, \u00a7 24.1-31.1; 1990, c. 201; 1993, c. 641; 2005, cc. 492,\n548; 2022, c. 140.","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}}