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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>62109</law_id><section_number>16.1-262</section_number><catch_line>Form and content of petition</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>16.1-260</reference><reference>16.1-291</reference><reference>16.1-331</reference></referred_to_by><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="5">Intake, Petition and Notice</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> The <span class="dictionary">petition</span> shall contain the <span class="dictionary">facts</span> below indicated:
			&#x201C;Commonwealth of Virginia, In re ______ (name of child)&#x201D; a child under eighteen years of age.
			&#x201C;In the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District <span class="dictionary">Court</span> of the county (or city) of ______ &#x201C; <a id="paragraph-226620" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/16.1-262/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Statement of name, age, date of birth, if known, and residence of the child. <a id="paragraph-226621" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/16.1-262/#A1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Statement of names and residence of his parents, guardian, legal custodian or other person standing in loco parentis and spouse, if any. <a id="paragraph-226622" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/16.1-262/#A2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> Statement of names and residence of the nearest known relatives if no parent or guardian can be found. <a id="paragraph-226623" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/16.1-262/#A3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> Statement of the specific <span class="dictionary">facts</span> which allegedly bring the child within the purview of <span class="dictionary">this law</span>. If the <span class="dictionary">petition</span> alleges a <span class="dictionary">delinquent act</span>, it shall make reference to the applicable sections of the Code which designate the act a <span class="dictionary">crime</span>. <a id="paragraph-226624" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/16.1-262/#A4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A5" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">5.</span> Statement as to whether the child is in <span class="dictionary">custody</span>, and if so, the place of detention or <span class="dictionary">shelter care</span>, and the time the child was taken into <span class="dictionary">custody</span>, and the time the child was placed in detention or <span class="dictionary">shelter care</span>. <a id="paragraph-226625" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/16.1-262/#A5"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> If the subject of the <span class="dictionary">petition</span> is an <span class="dictionary">adult</span>, the <span class="dictionary">petition</span> shall not state or include the name of or any information concerning the parents, guardians, legal custodian, or person standing in loco parentis of the <span class="dictionary">adult</span> subject of the <span class="dictionary">petition</span> except as may be necessary to state the conduct alleged in the <span class="dictionary">petition</span>. <a id="paragraph-226626" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/16.1-262/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> If any of the <span class="dictionary">facts</span> herein required to be stated are not known by the petitioner, the <span class="dictionary">petition</span> shall so state. The <span class="dictionary">petition</span> shall be verified, except that <span class="dictionary">petitions</span> filed under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Petition for parental placement adoption; jurisdiction; contents" href="/63.2-1237/">63.2-1237</a> may be signed by the petitioner&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">counsel</span>, and may be upon information.
			In accordance with &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Rules" href="/16.1-69.32/">16.1-69.32</a>, the Supreme Court may formulate rules for the form and content of <span class="dictionary">petitions</span> in the <span class="dictionary">juvenile court</span> concerning matters related to the <span class="dictionary">custody</span>, visitation or support of a child and the protection, support or maintenance of an <span class="dictionary">adult</span> where the provisions of this section are not appropriate. <a id="paragraph-226627" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/16.1-262/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 16.1-165; 1956, c. 555; 1977, c. 559; 1979, c. 615; 1984, c. 631; 1995, cc. 772, 826; 2000, c. 830; 2016, c. 626.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
