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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>59268</law_id><section_number>16.1-69.53</section_number><catch_line>Definitions; construction of references to period of years</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="4.1">District Courts</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="6">Retention and Disposition of District Court Records</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>As used in this article, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Court records</span>&#x201D; shall include <span class="dictionary">case records</span>, <span class="dictionary">financial records</span> and <span class="dictionary">administrative records</span> as defined in this section.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Case records</span>&#x201D; shall mean all <span class="dictionary">documents</span>, <span class="dictionary">dockets</span> and indices.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Documents</span>&#x201D; shall mean all <span class="dictionary">motions</span> for <span class="dictionary">judgment</span>, bills of complaint, answers, bills of particulars, other <span class="dictionary">pleadings</span>, <span class="dictionary">interrogatories</span>, <span class="dictionary">motions</span> in writing, warrants, summonses, <span class="dictionary">petitions</span>, <span class="dictionary">proof of service</span>, <span class="dictionary">witness</span> summonses and <span class="dictionary">subpoenas</span>, <span class="dictionary">documents</span> received in <span class="dictionary">evidence</span>, <span class="dictionary">transcripts</span>, <span class="dictionary">orders</span>, <span class="dictionary">judgments</span>, <span class="dictionary">writs</span>, and any other similar case-related records and papers in the <span class="dictionary">possession</span> of the district <span class="dictionary">courts</span> and filed with the <span class="dictionary">pleadings</span> in the case.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Financial records</span>&#x201D; shall mean all papers and records related to the receipt and disbursement of money by the district court.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Administrative records</span>&#x201D; shall mean all other court papers and records not otherwise defined.
		Whenever a reference to a period of years for the retention of <span class="dictionary">documents</span> is made in this section, it shall be construed to commence on January 2 of the first year following (i) the final adjudication of a civil case or (ii) the final <span class="dictionary">disposition</span> in all other cases, unless otherwise specified herein. In foster care cases, the final <span class="dictionary">disposition</span> date is the date of transfer of <span class="dictionary">custody</span> to a local board of social services or a child welfare agency.</p></section></text><history>1983, c. 499; 2002, c. 747.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
