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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>78575</law_id><section_number>18.2-67.7</section_number><catch_line>Admission of evidence (Supreme Court Rule 2:412 derived from this section)</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="18.2">Crimes and Offenses Generally</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="4">Crimes Against the Person</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="7">Criminal Sexual Assault</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> In <span class="dictionary">prosecutions</span> under this article, or under clause (iii) or (iv) of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Abduction with intent to extort money or for immoral purpose" href="/18.2-48/">18.2-48</a>, <a class="law" title="Taking indecent liberties with children; penalties" href="/18.2-370/">18.2-370</a>, <a class="law" title="Indecent liberties by children; penalty" href="/18.2-370.01/">18.2-370.01</a>, or <a class="law" title="Taking indecent liberties with child by person in custodial or supervisory relationship; penalties" href="/18.2-370.1/">18.2-370.1</a>, general reputation or <span class="dictionary">opinion</span> <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> of the <span class="dictionary">complaining witness</span>&#x2019;s unchaste character or <span class="dictionary">prior sexual conduct</span> shall not be admitted. Unless the <span class="dictionary">complaining witness</span> voluntarily agrees otherwise, <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> of specific instances of his or her <span class="dictionary">prior sexual conduct</span> shall be admitted only if it is relevant and is: <a id="paragraph-281591" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-67.7/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> <span class="dictionary">Evidence</span> offered to provide an alternative explanation for physical <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> of the <span class="dictionary">offense</span> charged which is introduced by the <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span>, limited to <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> designed to explain the presence of semen, pregnancy, disease, or physical injury to the <span class="dictionary">complaining witness</span>&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">intimate parts</span>; or <a id="paragraph-281592" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-67.7/#A1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> <span class="dictionary">Evidence</span> of sexual conduct between the <span class="dictionary">complaining witness</span> and the <span class="dictionary">accused</span> offered to support a contention that the alleged <span class="dictionary">offense</span> was not accomplished by force, threat or intimidation or through the use of the <span class="dictionary">complaining witness</span>&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">mental incapacity</span> or <span class="dictionary">physical helplessness</span>, provided that the sexual conduct occurred within a period of time reasonably proximate to the <span class="dictionary">offense</span> charged under the circumstances of this case; or <a id="paragraph-281593" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-67.7/#A2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> <span class="dictionary">Evidence</span> offered to rebut <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> of the <span class="dictionary">complaining witness</span>&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">prior sexual conduct</span> introduced by the <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span>. <a id="paragraph-281594" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-67.7/#A3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Nothing contained in this section shall prohibit the <span class="dictionary">accused</span> from presenting <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> relevant to show that the <span class="dictionary">complaining witness</span> had a motive to fabricate the charge against the <span class="dictionary">accused</span>. If such <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> relates to the past sexual conduct of the <span class="dictionary">complaining witness</span> with a person other than the <span class="dictionary">accused</span>, it shall not be admitted and may not be referred to at any <span class="dictionary">preliminary hearing</span> or <span class="dictionary">trial</span> unless the <span class="dictionary">party</span> offering same files a written notice generally describing the <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> prior to the introduction of any <span class="dictionary">evidence</span>, or the <span class="dictionary">opening statement</span> of either <span class="dictionary">counsel</span>, whichever first occurs, at the <span class="dictionary">preliminary hearing</span> or <span class="dictionary">trial</span> at which the admission of the <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> may be sought. <a id="paragraph-281595" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-67.7/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> <span class="dictionary">Evidence</span> described in subsections A and B of this section shall not be admitted and may not be referred to at any <span class="dictionary">preliminary hearing</span> or <span class="dictionary">trial</span> until the <span class="dictionary">court</span> first determines the admissibility of that <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> at an evidentiary hearing to be held before the <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> is introduced at such <span class="dictionary">preliminary hearing</span> or <span class="dictionary">trial</span>. The <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall exclude from the evidentiary hearing all persons except the <span class="dictionary">accused</span>, the <span class="dictionary">complaining witness</span>, other necessary witnesses, and required <span class="dictionary">court</span> personnel. If the <span class="dictionary">court</span> determines that the <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> meets the requirements of subsections A and B of this section, it shall be <span class="dictionary">admissible</span> before the <span class="dictionary">judge</span> or <span class="dictionary">jury</span> trying the case in the ordinary course of the <span class="dictionary">preliminary hearing</span> or <span class="dictionary">trial</span>. If the <span class="dictionary">court</span> initially determines that the <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> is inadmissible, but new information is discovered during the course of the <span class="dictionary">preliminary hearing</span> or <span class="dictionary">trial</span> which may make such <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> <span class="dictionary">admissible</span>, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall determine in an evidentiary hearing whether such <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> is <span class="dictionary">admissible</span>. <a id="paragraph-281596" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-67.7/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1981, c. 397; 2007, c. 890; 2011, c. 785.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
