{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/51.1-304.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/51.1-304.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/51.1-304.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/51.1-304.html"}],"law_id":74635,"edition_id":1,"section_id":74635,"structure_id":13893,"section_number":"51.1-304","catch_line":"Contributions by Commonwealth","history":"1972, c. 151, \u00a7 51-165.1; 1982, c. 467; 1990, c. 832; 2014, c. 356; 2023, c. 346; 2025, c. 508.","full_text":"The Commonwealth shall contribute an amount equal to the sum of the normal contribution, any accrued liability contribution, and any supplementary contribution. The amount shall be determined and paid as provided in Chapter 1 (\u00a7 51.1-124.1 et seq.). Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, member contributions and employer contributions for judges appointed or elected to an original term commencing on or after January 1, 2014, and prior to July 1, 2026, shall be determined and paid (i) under the provisions of the hybrid retirement program described in \u00a7 51.1-169 for service rendered as a judge prior to July 1, 2026, and (ii) as provided in Article 7 (\u00a7 51.1-144 et seq.) of Chapter 1 for service rendered as a judge on or after July 1, 2026. However, during any period that a judge is absent for a period of greater than three months from his duties, the employer shall not make any contributions otherwise required pursuant to subdivision B 2 of \u00a7 51.1-169, unless that absence is due to a medical condition, disability, active duty military leave, or family emergency and the existence of the medical condition, disability, active duty military leave, or family emergency is documented in a written communication signed under penalty of perjury by the judge or other authorized representative and submitted promptly to the Virginia Retirement System and the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":268250,"text":"The Commonwealth shall contribute an amount equal to the sum of the normal contribution, any accrued liability contribution, and any supplementary contribution. The amount shall be determined and paid as provided in Chapter 1 (\u00a7 51.1-124.1 et seq.). Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, member contributions and employer contributions for judges appointed or elected to an original term commencing on or after January 1, 2014, and prior to July 1, 2026, shall be determined and paid (i) under the provisions of the hybrid retirement program described in \u00a7 51.1-169 for service rendered as a judge prior to July 1, 2026, and (ii) as provided in Article 7 (\u00a7 51.1-144 et seq.) of Chapter 1 for service rendered as a judge on or after July 1, 2026. However, during any period that a judge is absent for a period of greater than three months from his duties, the employer shall not make any contributions otherwise required pursuant to subdivision B 2 of \u00a7 51.1-169, unless that absence is due to a medical condition, disability, active duty military leave, or family emergency and the existence of the medical condition, disability, active duty military leave, or family emergency is documented in a written communication signed under penalty of perjury by the judge or other authorized representative and submitted promptly to the Virginia Retirement System and the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":13893,"edition_id":1,"name":"Judicial Retirement System","identifier":"3","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12947,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:46:13","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:46:13","permalink":{"id":235997,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13893,"identifier":"3","token":"51.1\/3","url":"\/51.1\/3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12947,"edition_id":1,"name":"Pensions, Benefits, and Retirement","identifier":"51.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:04","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:04","permalink":{"id":235029,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12947,"identifier":"51.1","token":"51.1","url":"\/51.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":73479,"structure_id":13893,"section_number":"51.1-300","catch_line":"Judicial Retirement System continued; administration; application of provisions of Virginia Retirement System","url":"\/51.1-300\/","token":"51.1\/3\/51.1-300","metadata":false},{"id":68180,"structure_id":13893,"section_number":"51.1-301","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/51.1-301\/","token":"51.1\/3\/51.1-301","metadata":false},{"id":73859,"structure_id":13893,"section_number":"51.1-302","catch_line":"Membership in retirement system","url":"\/51.1-302\/","token":"51.1\/3\/51.1-302","metadata":false},{"id":57472,"structure_id":13893,"section_number":"51.1-303","catch_line":"Creditable service","url":"\/51.1-303\/","token":"51.1\/3\/51.1-303","metadata":false},{"id":74635,"structure_id":13893,"section_number":"51.1-304","catch_line":"Contributions by Commonwealth","url":"\/51.1-304\/","token":"51.1\/3\/51.1-304","metadata":false},{"id":78359,"structure_id":13893,"section_number":"51.1-305","catch_line":"Service retirement generally","url":"\/51.1-305\/","token":"51.1\/3\/51.1-305","metadata":false},{"id":71752,"structure_id":13893,"section_number":"51.1-306","catch_line":"Service retirement allowance","url":"\/51.1-306\/","token":"51.1\/3\/51.1-306","metadata":false},{"id":74234,"structure_id":13893,"section_number":"51.1-306.1","catch_line":"Service retirement allowance for judges appointed or elected after January 1, 2014","url":"\/51.1-306.1\/","token":"51.1\/3\/51.1-306.1","metadata":false},{"id":54931,"structure_id":13893,"section_number":"51.1-307","catch_line":"Notice of disability retirement","url":"\/51.1-307\/","token":"51.1\/3\/51.1-307","metadata":false},{"id":84690,"structure_id":13893,"section_number":"51.1-308","catch_line":"Disability retirement allowance","url":"\/51.1-308\/","token":"51.1\/3\/51.1-308","metadata":false},{"id":79242,"structure_id":13893,"section_number":"51.1-309","catch_line":"Appearance as counsel in certain forums prohibited","url":"\/51.1-309\/","token":"51.1\/3\/51.1-309","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":57472,"structure_id":13893,"section_number":"51.1-303","catch_line":"Creditable service","url":"\/51.1-303\/","token":"51.1\/3\/51.1-303","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":78359,"structure_id":13893,"section_number":"51.1-305","catch_line":"Service retirement generally","url":"\/51.1-305\/","token":"51.1\/3\/51.1-305","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/51.1-304\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1972. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 151 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 1972 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 5 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 1982, chapter 467; in 1990, chapter 832; in 2014, chapter 356<\/a>; in 2023, chapter 346<\/a>; in 2025, chapter 508<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":71866,"section_number":"51.1-1401","catch_line":"Health insurance credits for retired teachers","order_by":null,"url":"\/51.1-1401\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":68506,"section_number":"51.1-124.1","catch_line":"Virginia Retirement System established","order_by":null,"url":"\/51.1-124.1\/"},{"id":81607,"section_number":"51.1-144","catch_line":"Member contributions","order_by":null,"url":"\/51.1-144\/"},{"id":83100,"section_number":"51.1-169","catch_line":"Hybrid retirement program","order_by":null,"url":"\/51.1-169\/"}],"permalink":{"id":236015,"object_type":"law","relational_id":74635,"identifier":"51.1-304","token":"51.1\/3\/51.1-304","url":"\/51.1-304\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/51.1-304\/","token":"51.1\/3\/51.1-304","dublin_core":{"Title":"Contributions by Commonwealth","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 51.1-304","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

The Commonwealth shall contribute an amount equal to the sum of the normal contribution, any accrued liability contribution, and any supplementary contribution. The amount shall be determined and paid as provided in Chapter 1 (\u00a7 51.1-124.1<\/a> et seq.). Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, member contributions and employer contributions for judges<\/span> appointed or elected to an original term commencing on or after January 1, 2014, and prior to July 1, 2026, shall be determined and paid (i) under the provisions of the hybrid retirement program described in \u00a7 51.1-169<\/a> for service<\/span> rendered as a judge<\/span> prior to July 1, 2026, and (ii) as provided in Article 7 (\u00a7 51.1-144<\/a> et seq.) of Chapter 1 for service<\/span> rendered as a judge<\/span> on or after July 1, 2026. However, during any period that a judge<\/span> is absent for a period of greater than three months from his duties, the employer shall not make any contributions otherwise required pursuant to subdivision B 2 of \u00a7 51.1-169<\/a>, unless that absence is due to a medical condition, disability, active duty military leave, or family emergency and the existence of the medical condition, disability, active duty military leave, or family emergency is documented in a written communication signed under penalty<\/span> of perjury<\/span> by the judge<\/span> or other authorized representative and submitted promptly to the Virginia Retirement System<\/span> and the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court<\/span> of Virginia.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nCONTRIBUTIONS BY COMMONWEALTH (\u00a7 51.1-304)\n\nThe Commonwealth shall contribute an amount equal to the sum of the normal\ncontribution, any accrued liability contribution, and any supplementary\ncontribution. The amount shall be determined and paid as provided in Chapter 1\n(\u00a7 51.1-124.1 et seq.). Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this\nsection, member contributions and employer contributions for judges appointed or\nelected to an original term commencing on or after January 1, 2014, and prior to\nJuly 1, 2026, shall be determined and paid (i) under the provisions of the\nhybrid retirement program described in \u00a7 51.1-169 for service rendered as a\njudge prior to July 1, 2026, and (ii) as provided in Article 7 (\u00a7 51.1-144 et\nseq.) of Chapter 1 for service rendered as a judge on or after July 1, 2026.\nHowever, during any period that a judge is absent for a period of greater than\nthree months from his duties, the employer shall not make any contributions\notherwise required pursuant to subdivision B 2 of \u00a7 51.1-169, unless that\nabsence is due to a medical condition, disability, active duty military leave,\nor family emergency and the existence of the medical condition, disability,\nactive duty military leave, or family emergency is documented in a written\ncommunication signed under penalty of perjury by the judge or other authorized\nrepresentative and submitted promptly to the Virginia Retirement System and the\nExecutive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia.\n\nHISTORY: 1972, c. 151, \u00a7 51-165.1; 1982, c. 467; 1990, c. 832; 2014, c. 356;\n2023, c. 346; 2025, c. 508.","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}}