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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>72275</law_id><section_number>16.1-245.2</section_number><catch_line>Evidence of medical reports, statements, or records; testimony of health care provider or custodian of records in juvenile and domestic relations district court; custody, visitation, placement, and support cases</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="16.1">Courts Not of Record</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="11">Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Courts</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="3">Jurisdiction and Venue</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Notwithstanding &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Communications between physicians and patients (Supreme Court Rule 2:505 derived from this section)" href="/8.01-399/">8.01-399</a>, <a class="law" title="Communications between certain mental health professionals and clients (Supreme Court Rule 2:506 derived from this section)" href="/8.01-400.2/">8.01-400.2</a>, <a class="law" title="Opinion testimony by experts; hearsay exception (subsection (a) of Supreme Court Rule 2:703, subsection (a) of Supreme Court Rule 2:705, and subsection (a) of Supreme Court Rule 2:706 derived from this section)" href="/8.01-401.1/">8.01-401.1</a>, or <a class="law" title="Certain copies of health care provider's health records of patient admissible; right of patient, his attorney and authorized insurer to copies of such health records; subpoena; damages, costs and attorney fees" href="/8.01-413/">8.01-413</a>, and except as provided in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Medical evidence admissible in juvenile and domestic relations district court" href="/16.1-245.1/">16.1-245.1</a>, in any civil case heard in a juvenile and domestic relations district <span class="dictionary">court</span> involving the <span class="dictionary">custody</span>, visitation, placement, or support of a child or spouse, any <span class="dictionary">party</span>, including a <span class="dictionary">guardian ad litem</span>, may present <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> as to the extent, nature, and treatment of a <span class="dictionary">party</span> or child and the costs of such treatment and examination by the following: <a id="paragraph-260346" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/16.1-245.2/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> A report or statement from the treating or examining health care provider as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/8.01-581.1/">8.01-581.1</a> or a health care provider licensed outside of the Commonwealth for his treatment of the <span class="dictionary">party</span> or child outside of the Commonwealth. Such report or statement shall be admitted if the <span class="dictionary">party</span> intending to present such <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> gives the opposing <span class="dictionary">party</span> or parties and, if applicable, <span class="dictionary">guardian ad litem</span>, a copy of such <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> and written notice of such intention 30 days in advance of <span class="dictionary">trial</span> and if attached to or contained in such <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> is a sworn declaration of (i) the treating or examining health care provider that (a) the person named therein was treated or examined by such health care provider, (b) the information contained in the report or statement is true and accurate and fully descriptive as to the nature and extent of the treatment and any conclusions which result therefrom, and (c) any statement of costs contained in the report or statement is true and accurate or (ii) the custodian of such report or statement that the same is a true and accurate copy of the report or statement; or <a id="paragraph-260347" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/16.1-245.2/#A1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> The bills showing the costs of examination or treatment or records of a treating or examining health care provider as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/8.01-581.1/">8.01-581.1</a> or a health care provider licensed outside of the Commonwealth for its treatment of a <span class="dictionary">party</span> or child outside of the Commonwealth. Such provider&#x2019;s records or bills shall be admitted if (i) the <span class="dictionary">party</span> intending to present <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> by the use of records or bills gives the opposing <span class="dictionary">party</span> or parties and, if applicable, the <span class="dictionary">guardian ad litem</span> a copy of the records or bills and written notice of such intention 30 days in advance of <span class="dictionary">trial</span> and (ii) attached to the records or bills is a sworn declaration of the custodian thereof that the same is a true and accurate copy of the records or bills of such provider.
				If, thereafter, a <span class="dictionary">party</span> or <span class="dictionary">guardian ad litem</span> <span class="dictionary">summons</span> the health care provider or custodian making such statement to testify in proper person, <span class="dictionary">the court</span> shall determine which <span class="dictionary">party</span> shall pay the fee and costs for such <span class="dictionary">appearance</span> or may apportion the same among the parties in such proportions as the ends of justice may require. If such health care provider or custodian is not subject to <span class="dictionary">subpoena</span> for cross-examination in court, then <span class="dictionary">the court</span> shall allow a reasonable opportunity for the <span class="dictionary">party</span> seeking the <span class="dictionary">subpoena</span> for such health care provider or custodian to obtain his <span class="dictionary">testimony</span> as the ends of justice may require. <a id="paragraph-260348" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/16.1-245.2/#A2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> If an opposing <span class="dictionary">party</span> intends to file a pleading in response to the <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> to be presented pursuant to subsection A, such <span class="dictionary">party</span> shall do so at least 15 days in advance of <span class="dictionary">trial</span>. <a id="paragraph-260349" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/16.1-245.2/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2023, cc. 398, 399.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
