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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>61978</law_id><section_number>19.2-20</section_number><catch_line>Same; complaint and issuance of warrant therefor</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>19.2-22</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="2">Conservators of the Peace and Special Policemen</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="2">Powers and Duties</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>If complaint be made to any <span class="dictionary">magistrate</span> or <span class="dictionary">judge</span> that a person should be required to give a <span class="dictionary">recognizance</span> to keep the peace due to any of the reasons set forth in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Recognizance to keep the peace; when required" href="/19.2-19/">19.2-19</a>, such <span class="dictionary">magistrate</span> or <span class="dictionary">judge</span> shall examine on <span class="dictionary">oath</span> the complainant, and any <span class="dictionary">witness</span> who may be produced, reduce the complaint to writing, and cause it to be signed by the complainant; and if <span class="dictionary">probable cause</span> is established, such <span class="dictionary">magistrate</span> or <span class="dictionary">judge</span> shall <span class="dictionary">issue</span> a warrant, reciting the complaint, and requiring the person complained of forthwith to be apprehended and brought before the district <span class="dictionary">court</span> having appropriate <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span>.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 19.1-21; 1960, c. 366; 1975, c. 495; 1978, c. 500; 1979, c. 708.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
