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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>79502</law_id><section_number>19.2-186</section_number><catch_line>When accused to be discharged, tried, committed or bailed by judge</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>16.1-69.55</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="12">Preliminary Hearing</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>The <span class="dictionary">judge</span> shall discharge the <span class="dictionary">accused</span> if he considers that there is not sufficient cause for charging him with the <span class="dictionary">offense</span>.
		If a <span class="dictionary">judge</span> considers that there is sufficient cause only to charge the <span class="dictionary">accused</span> with an <span class="dictionary">offense</span> which the <span class="dictionary">judge</span> has <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> to try, then he shall try the <span class="dictionary">accused</span> for such <span class="dictionary">offense</span> and convict him if he deems him guilty and pass <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> upon him in accordance with <span class="dictionary">law</span> just as if the <span class="dictionary">accused</span> had first been brought before him on a warrant charging him with such <span class="dictionary">offense</span>.
		If a <span class="dictionary">judge</span> considers that there is sufficient cause to charge the <span class="dictionary">accused</span> with an <span class="dictionary">offense</span> that he does not have <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> to try then he shall certify the case to the appropriate <span class="dictionary">court</span> having <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> and shall commit the <span class="dictionary">accused</span> to jail or let him to <span class="dictionary">bail</span> pursuant to the provisions of Article 1 (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/19.2-119/">19.2-119</a> et seq.) of Chapter 9 of this title.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 19.1-106; 1960, c. 366; 1968, c. 639; 1973, c. 485; 1975, c. 495; 1999, cc. 829, 846.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
