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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>75584</law_id><section_number>17.1-124</section_number><catch_line>Order books; automated systems</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>17.1-125</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="17.1">Courts of Record</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="1">General Provisions</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Except as otherwise provided herein, each <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> court clerk shall keep order books or, in lieu thereof, an automated system recording all proceedings, <span class="dictionary">orders</span> and <span class="dictionary">judgments</span> of the court in all matters, all <span class="dictionary">decrees</span>, and decretal <span class="dictionary">orders</span> of such court and all matters pertaining to trusts, the appointment and qualification of trustees, committees, administrators, executors, conservators and guardians shall be recorded, except when the same are appointed by the <span class="dictionary">clerk of court</span>, in which event the order appointing such administrators or executors, shall be made and entered in the clerk&#x2019;s order book. In any <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> court, the clerk may, with the approval of the <span class="dictionary">chief judge</span> of the court, by order entered of record, divide the order book into two sections, to be known as the <span class="dictionary">civil order book</span> and the criminal order book. All (i) proceedings, <span class="dictionary">orders</span>, and <span class="dictionary">judgments</span> of the court in all matters at civil <span class="dictionary">law</span> and (ii) trust fund <span class="dictionary">orders</span>, which shall include money held by a general receiver of the court pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Appointment of general receivers; their duties; audit of funds" href="/8.01-582/">8.01-582</a> or by the clerk of the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> court pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="How money under control of court deposited; record kept; liability of clerk" href="/8.01-600/">8.01-600</a>, shall be recorded in the <span class="dictionary">civil order book</span>, and all proceedings, <span class="dictionary">orders</span> and <span class="dictionary">judgments</span> of the court in all matters at criminal <span class="dictionary">law</span> shall be recorded in the criminal order book. In any proceeding brought for the condemnation of property, all proceedings, <span class="dictionary">orders</span>, <span class="dictionary">judgments</span> and <span class="dictionary">decrees</span> of the court shall be recorded in the <span class="dictionary">civil order book</span> of the court. The recordation prior to January 1, 1974, of all proceedings, <span class="dictionary">orders</span>, <span class="dictionary">judgments</span> and <span class="dictionary">decrees</span> in such cases, whether entered in the common-<span class="dictionary">law</span> order book or the <span class="dictionary">chancery order book</span> of any court, is hereby declared a valid and proper recordation of the same. <span class="dictionary">Orders</span> in cases appealed from the juvenile and domestic relations district <span class="dictionary">courts</span> shall be maintained as provided in this section and, to the extent inconsistent with this section, &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Dockets, indices, and order books; when hearings and records private; right to public hearing; presence of juvenile in court" href="/16.1-302/">16.1-302</a>.
		The clerk shall ensure that these order books have been microfilmed or converted to or created in an electronic format. Such microfilm and microphotographic processes and equipment shall meet state microfilm standards, and such electronic format shall follow state electronic records guidelines, pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Duties and powers of Library Board" href="/42.1-82/">42.1-82</a>. The clerk shall further provide the master reel of any such microfilm for storage in the Library of Virginia and shall provide for the secured, off-site back up of any electronic copies of such records.</p></section></text><history>1926, p. 750, &#xA7; 17-28; 1932, p. 765; 1936, p. 557; Michie Code 1942, &#xA7; 5962a; 1962, c. 233; 1973, c. 9; 1974, c. 524; 1990, c. 258; 1997, c. 801; 1998, c. 872; 2005, c. 681; 2007, c. 567; 2010, cc. 717, 760; 2014, c. 460; 2017, c. 35.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
