{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/46.2-939.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/46.2-939.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/46.2-939.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/46.2-939.html"}],"law_id":85465,"edition_id":1,"section_id":85465,"structure_id":15402,"section_number":"46.2-939","catch_line":"Authority of law-enforcement officers to issue subpoenas","history":"1975, c. 138, \u00a7 46.1-178.2; 1986, c. 40; 1989, c. 727.","full_text":"Local law-enforcement officers and state police officers, in the course of their duties in the investigation of any accident involving a motor vehicle or vehicles, may, at the scene of any such accident, issue a subpoena to any witness to appear in court and testify with respect to any criminal charge brought against any person as a result of such accident. State police officers, additionally, may issue such subpoenas at any other location within seventy-two hours of the time of such accident, with the return of service thereof made to the appropriate court clerk within forty-eight hours after such service. A subpoena so issued shall have the same force and effect as if issued by the court.\n\t\tAny person failing to appear in response to a subpoena issued as provided in this section shall be punished as provided by law.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":306168,"text":"Local law-enforcement officers and state police officers, in the course of their duties in the investigation of any accident involving a motor vehicle or vehicles, may, at the scene of any such accident, issue a subpoena to any witness to appear in court and testify with respect to any criminal charge brought against any person as a result of such accident. State police officers, additionally, may issue such subpoenas at any other location within seventy-two hours of the time of such accident, with the return of service thereof made to the appropriate court clerk within forty-eight hours after such service. A subpoena so issued shall have the same force and effect as if issued by the court.\n\t\tAny person failing to appear in response to a subpoena issued as provided in this section shall be punished as provided by law.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":15402,"edition_id":1,"name":"Legal Procedures and Requirements","identifier":"17","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12875,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:54:39","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:54:39","permalink":{"id":230661,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15402,"identifier":"17","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/17","url":"\/46.2\/III\/8\/17\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12875,"edition_id":1,"name":"Regulation of Traffic","identifier":"8","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12827,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:58","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:58","permalink":{"id":230189,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12875,"identifier":"8","token":"46.2\/III\/8","url":"\/46.2\/III\/8\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12827,"edition_id":1,"name":"Operation","identifier":"III","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12770,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:55","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:55","permalink":{"id":228597,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12827,"identifier":"III","token":"46.2\/III","url":"\/46.2\/III\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12770,"edition_id":1,"name":"Motor Vehicles","identifier":"46.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:52","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:52","permalink":{"id":225289,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12770,"identifier":"46.2","token":"46.2","url":"\/46.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":81229,"structure_id":15402,"section_number":"46.2-936","catch_line":"Arrest for misdemeanor; release on summons; right to demand hearing immediately or within 24 hours; issuance of warrant on request of officer for violations of \u00a7\u00a7 46.2-301 and 46.2-302; violations","url":"\/46.2-936\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/17\/46.2-936","metadata":false},{"id":84627,"structure_id":15402,"section_number":"46.2-937","catch_line":"Traffic infractions treated as misdemeanors for arrest purposes","url":"\/46.2-937\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/17\/46.2-937","metadata":false},{"id":58995,"structure_id":15402,"section_number":"46.2-938","catch_line":"Issuance of warrant upon failure to comply with summons; penalties; suspension of licenses for failure to appear","url":"\/46.2-938\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/17\/46.2-938","metadata":false},{"id":85465,"structure_id":15402,"section_number":"46.2-939","catch_line":"Authority of law-enforcement officers to issue subpoenas","url":"\/46.2-939\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/17\/46.2-939","metadata":false},{"id":64652,"structure_id":15402,"section_number":"46.2-940","catch_line":"When arresting officer shall take person before issuing authority","url":"\/46.2-940\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/17\/46.2-940","metadata":false},{"id":66506,"structure_id":15402,"section_number":"46.2-941","catch_line":"Conditions precedent to issuance of summons for violation of parking ordinance; notice","url":"\/46.2-941\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/17\/46.2-941","metadata":false},{"id":75206,"structure_id":15402,"section_number":"46.2-942","catch_line":"Admissibility of results of speedometer test in prosecution for exceeding speed limit","url":"\/46.2-942\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/17\/46.2-942","metadata":false},{"id":58652,"structure_id":15402,"section_number":"46.2-943","catch_line":"Court or jury may consider defendant's prior traffic record before sentencing","url":"\/46.2-943\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/17\/46.2-943","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":58995,"structure_id":15402,"section_number":"46.2-938","catch_line":"Issuance of warrant upon failure to comply with summons; penalties; suspension of licenses for failure to appear","url":"\/46.2-938\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/17\/46.2-938","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":64652,"structure_id":15402,"section_number":"46.2-940","catch_line":"When arresting officer shall take person before issuing authority","url":"\/46.2-940\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/17\/46.2-940","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/46.2-939\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1975. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 138 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 1986, chapter 40; in 1989, chapter 727.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":230675,"object_type":"law","relational_id":85465,"identifier":"46.2-939","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/17\/46.2-939","url":"\/46.2-939\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/46.2-939\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/17\/46.2-939","dublin_core":{"Title":"Authority of law-enforcement officers to issue subpoenas","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 46.2-939","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Local law<\/span>-enforcement officers<\/span> and state police officers, in the course of their duties in the investigation of any accident involving a motor vehicle<\/span> or vehicles<\/span>, may, at the scene of any such accident, issue<\/span> a subpoena<\/span> to any witness<\/span> to appear in court<\/span> and testify with respect to any criminal charge brought against any person as a result of such accident. State police officers, additionally, may issue<\/span> such subpoenas<\/span> at any other location within seventy-two hours of the time of such accident, with the return of service thereof made to the appropriate court<\/span> clerk within forty-eight hours after such service. A subpoena<\/span> so issued shall have the same force and effect as if issued by the court<\/span>.\n\t\tAny person failing to appear in response to a subpoena<\/span> issued as provided in this section shall be punished as provided by law<\/span>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nAUTHORITY OF LAW-ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO ISSUE SUBPOENAS (\u00a7 46.2-939)\n\nLocal law-enforcement officers and state police officers, in the course of their\nduties in the investigation of any accident involving a motor vehicle or\nvehicles, may, at the scene of any such accident, issue a subpoena to any\nwitness to appear in court and testify with respect to any criminal charge\nbrought against any person as a result of such accident. State police officers,\nadditionally, may issue such subpoenas at any other location within seventy-two\nhours of the time of such accident, with the return of service thereof made to\nthe appropriate court clerk within forty-eight hours after such service. A\nsubpoena so issued shall have the same force and effect as if issued by the\ncourt.\n\t\tAny person failing to appear in response to a subpoena issued as provided in\nthis section shall be punished as provided by law.\n\nHISTORY: 1975, c. 138, \u00a7 46.1-178.2; 1986, c. 40; 1989, c. 727.","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}}