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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>66760</law_id><section_number>19.2-160</section_number><catch_line>Appointment of counsel or waiver of right</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>16.1-266</reference><reference>19.2-159</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>If the charge against the <span class="dictionary">accused</span> is a <span class="dictionary">crime</span> the <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> for which may be incarceration, and the <span class="dictionary">accused</span> is not represented by <span class="dictionary">counsel</span>, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall ascertain by oral examination of the <span class="dictionary">accused</span> whether or not the <span class="dictionary">accused</span> desires to <span class="dictionary">waive</span> his right to <span class="dictionary">counsel</span>.
		In the event the <span class="dictionary">accused</span> desires to <span class="dictionary">waive</span> his right to <span class="dictionary">counsel</span>, and the <span class="dictionary">court</span> ascertains that such <span class="dictionary">waiver</span> is voluntary and intelligently made, then the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall provide the <span class="dictionary">accused</span> with a statement to be executed by the <span class="dictionary">accused</span> to document his <span class="dictionary">waiver</span>. The statement shall be in a form designed and provided by the Supreme <span class="dictionary">Court</span>. Any executed statement herein provided for shall be filed with and become a part of the record of such proceeding.
		In the absence of a <span class="dictionary">waiver</span> of <span class="dictionary">counsel</span> by the <span class="dictionary">accused</span>, and if he shall claim that he is <span class="dictionary">indigent</span>, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall proceed in the same manner as is provided 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>.
		Should the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> refuse or otherwise fail to sign either of the statements described in this section and &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Determination of indigency; guidelines; statement of indigence; appointment of counsel" href="/19.2-159/">19.2-159</a>, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall note such refusal on the record. Such refusal shall be deemed to be a <span class="dictionary">waiver</span> of the right to <span class="dictionary">counsel</span>, and the <span class="dictionary">court</span>, after so advising the <span class="dictionary">accused</span> and offering him the opportunity to rescind his refusal shall, if such refusal is not rescinded and the <span class="dictionary">accused</span>&#x2019;s signature given, proceed to hear and decide the case. However, if, prior to the commencement of the <span class="dictionary">trial</span>, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> states in writing, either upon the request of the attorney for the Commonwealth or, in the absence of the attorney for the Commonwealth, upon the <span class="dictionary">court</span>&#x2019;s own <span class="dictionary">motion</span>, that a sentence of incarceration will not be imposed if the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> is convicted, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> may try the case without appointing <span class="dictionary">counsel</span>, and in such event no sentence of incarceration shall be imposed.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 19.1-241.9; 1973, c. 316; 1975, c. 495; 1978, c. 365; 1979, c. 468; 1983, c. 97; 1989, c. 385.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
