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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>70099</law_id><section_number>16.1-358</section_number><catch_line>Disposition of the unrestorably incompetent juvenile</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>16.1-357</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="18">Juvenile Competency</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>If, at any time after the juvenile is ordered to undergo services pursuant to subsection A of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Disposition when juvenile found incompetent" href="/16.1-357/">16.1-357</a>, the agent providing restoration concludes that the juvenile is likely to remain incompetent for the foreseeable future, he shall send a report to <span class="dictionary">the court</span> so stating. The report shall also indicate whether, in the agent&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">opinion</span>, the juvenile should be (i) committed pursuant to Article 16 (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Short title" href="/16.1-335/">16.1-335</a> et seq.) of this chapter or, if the juvenile has reached the age of eighteen years at the time of the competency determination, pursuant to Article 5 (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="(Effective July 1, 2026) Commitment hearing for involuntary admission; written explanation; right to counsel; rights of petitioner" href="/37.2-814/">37.2-814</a> et seq.) of Chapter 8 of Title 37.2, (ii) certified pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Judicial certification of eligibility for admission of persons with intellectual disability" href="/37.2-806/">37.2-806</a>, (iii) provided other services by <span class="dictionary">the court</span>, or (iv) released. Upon receipt of the report, <span class="dictionary">the court</span> shall make a competency determination according to the procedures specified in subsection F of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Raising question of competency to stand trial; evaluation and determination of competency" href="/16.1-356/">16.1-356</a>. If <span class="dictionary">the court</span> finds that the juvenile is incompetent and is likely to remain so for the foreseeable future, it shall <span class="dictionary">order</span> that the juvenile (i) be committed pursuant to Article 16 (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Short title" href="/16.1-335/">16.1-335</a> et seq.) of this chapter or, if the juvenile has reached the age of eighteen years at the time of the competency determination, pursuant to Article 5 (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="(Effective July 1, 2026) Commitment hearing for involuntary admission; written explanation; right to counsel; rights of petitioner" href="/37.2-814/">37.2-814</a> et seq.) of Chapter 8 of Title 37.2, (ii) be certified pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Judicial certification of eligibility for admission of persons with intellectual disability" href="/37.2-806/">37.2-806</a>, (iii) have a <span class="dictionary">child in need of services</span> <span class="dictionary">petition</span> filed on his behalf pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Intake; petition; investigation" href="/16.1-260/">16.1-260</a> D, or (iv) be released. If <span class="dictionary">the court</span> finds the juvenile incompetent but restorable to competency in the foreseeable future, it may <span class="dictionary">order</span> restoration services continued until three months have elapsed from the date of the provision of restoration ordered under subsection A of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Disposition when juvenile found incompetent" href="/16.1-357/">16.1-357</a>.
		If not dismissed without prejudice at an earlier time, charges against an unrestorably incompetent juvenile shall be dismissed in compliance with the time frames as follows: in the case of a charge which would be a <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>, one year from the date of the juvenile&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">arrest</span> for such charge; and in the case of a charge which would be a <span class="dictionary">felony</span>, three years from the date of the juvenile&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">arrest</span> for such charges.</p></section></text><history>1999, cc. 958, 997; 2000, c. 216.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
