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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>68516</law_id><section_number>19.2-157</section_number><catch_line>Duty of court when accused appears without counsel</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>19.2-158</reference><reference>19.2-163.01:1</reference><reference>19.2-327.1</reference><reference>19.2-327.11</reference><reference>19.2-327.3</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="19.2">Criminal Procedure</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="10">Disability of Judge or Attorney for Commonwealth; Court- Appointed Counsel; Interpreters; Transcripts</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="3">Appointment of Attorney for Accused</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Except as may otherwise be provided in &#xA7;&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Appointment of counsel and guardian ad litem" href="/16.1-266/">16.1-266</a> through <a class="law" title="Order of appointment" href="/16.1-268/">16.1-268</a>, whenever a person charged with a criminal <span class="dictionary">offense</span> the <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> for which may be confinement in the state correctional facility or jail, including charges for <span class="dictionary">revocation</span> of suspension of imposition or execution of sentence or <span class="dictionary">probation</span>, appears before any <span class="dictionary">court</span> without being represented by <span class="dictionary">counsel</span>, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall inform him of his right to <span class="dictionary">counsel</span>. The <span class="dictionary">accused</span> shall be allowed a reasonable opportunity to employ <span class="dictionary">counsel</span> or, if appropriate, the statement of indigence provided for in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Determination of indigency; guidelines; statement of indigence; appointment of counsel" href="/19.2-159/">19.2-159</a> may be executed.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7;&#xA7; 19.1-241.1, 19.1-241.7; 1964, c. 657; 1966, c. 460; 1973, c. 316; 1975, c. 495; 1978, c. 362; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 344, 345.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
