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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>69064</law_id><section_number>19.2-215.9</section_number><catch_line>Court reporter provided; safekeeping of transcripts, notes, etc.; when disclosure permitted; access to record of testimony and evidence</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>19.2-215.1</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="13">Grand Juries</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="4">Multi-Jurisdiction Grand Juries</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> A <span class="dictionary">court reporter</span> shall be provided for a multi-<span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> <span class="dictionary">grand jury</span> to record, manually or electronically, and transcribe all oral <span class="dictionary">testimony</span> taken before a multi-<span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> <span class="dictionary">grand jury</span>, but such a reporter shall not be present during any stage of its <span class="dictionary">deliberations</span>. Such transcription shall include the original or copies of all documents, reports, or other <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> presented to the multi-<span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> <span class="dictionary">grand jury</span>. The notes, tapes, and transcriptions of the reporter are for the use of the multi-<span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> <span class="dictionary">grand jury</span>, and the contents thereof shall not be used or divulged by anyone except as provided in this article. After the multi-<span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> <span class="dictionary">grand jury</span> has completed its use of the notes, tapes, and transcriptions, the <span class="dictionary">foreman</span> shall cause them to be delivered to the clerk of the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> court in whose <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> the multi-<span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> <span class="dictionary">grand jury</span> sits, with copies provided to special <span class="dictionary">counsel</span>. Upon <span class="dictionary">motion</span> of special <span class="dictionary">counsel</span>, the presiding <span class="dictionary">judge</span> may <span class="dictionary">order</span> that such notes, tapes, and transcriptions be destroyed at the direction of special <span class="dictionary">counsel</span> by any means the presiding <span class="dictionary">judge</span> deems sufficient, provided that at least seven years have passed from the date of the multi-<span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> <span class="dictionary">grand jury</span> proceeding where such notes, tapes, and transcriptions were made. <a id="paragraph-249996" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-215.9/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> The clerk shall cause the notes, tapes, and transcriptions or other <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> to be kept safely. Upon <span class="dictionary">motion</span> to the presiding <span class="dictionary">judge</span>, special <span class="dictionary">counsel</span> or the attorney for the Commonwealth or United States attorney of any <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> where the <span class="dictionary">offense</span> could be prosecuted or investigated shall be permitted to review any of the <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> which was presented to the multi-<span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> <span class="dictionary">grand jury</span> and shall be permitted to make notes and to duplicate portions of the <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> as he deems necessary for use in a criminal investigation or proceeding. Special <span class="dictionary">counsel</span>, the attorney for the Commonwealth, or the United States attorney shall maintain the secrecy of all information obtained from a review or duplication of the <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> presented to the multi-<span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> <span class="dictionary">grand jury</span>, except that this information may be disclosed pursuant to the provisions of subdivision 2 of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Functions of a multi-jurisdiction grand jury" href="/19.2-215.1/">19.2-215.1</a>. A United States attorney satisfies his duty to maintain secrecy of information obtained from a review or duplication of <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> presented to the multi-<span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> <span class="dictionary">grand jury</span> if such information is maintained in accordance with the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. After a person has been indicted by a <span class="dictionary">grand jury</span>, the attorney for the Commonwealth shall notify such person that the multi-<span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> <span class="dictionary">grand jury</span> was used to obtain <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> for a <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span>. Upon <span class="dictionary">motion</span> to the presiding <span class="dictionary">judge</span> by a person indicted by a multi-<span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> <span class="dictionary">grand jury</span> or by a person being prosecuted with <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> presented to a multi-<span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> <span class="dictionary">grand jury</span>, similar permission to review, note, or duplicate <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> shall be extended.
			Any person granted permission to make notes and to duplicate portions of the <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> given before the multi-<span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> <span class="dictionary">grand jury</span> shall maintain the secrecy of all information obtained from a review or duplication of the <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> presented to the multi-<span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> <span class="dictionary">grand jury</span>, except for disclosure as he deems necessary for use in a criminal investigation or proceeding. The timing of the access to such <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> shall be determined by the presiding <span class="dictionary">judge</span> after a <span class="dictionary">hearing</span> on the matter, if the parties do not otherwise agree. Any person granted permission herein is precluded from making additional copies of these <span class="dictionary">materials</span>, except as he deems necessary for use in a criminal investigation or proceeding, without permission of the presiding <span class="dictionary">judge</span> and is to notify the presiding <span class="dictionary">judge</span> and the attorney for the Commonwealth immediately if these <span class="dictionary">materials</span> are lost or their secrecy has not been maintained. <a id="paragraph-249997" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-215.9/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> If any <span class="dictionary">witness</span> who testified or produced <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> before the multi-<span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> <span class="dictionary">grand jury</span> is prosecuted on the basis of his <span class="dictionary">testimony</span> or the <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> he produced, or if any <span class="dictionary">witness</span> is prosecuted for <span class="dictionary">perjury</span> on the basis of his <span class="dictionary">testimony</span> or the <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> he produced before the multi-<span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> <span class="dictionary">grand jury</span>, the presiding <span class="dictionary">judge</span>, on <span class="dictionary">motion</span> of either special <span class="dictionary">counsel</span> or the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span>, shall permit the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> access to the <span class="dictionary">testimony</span> of or <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> produced by the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> before the multi-<span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> <span class="dictionary">grand jury</span>. The <span class="dictionary">testimony</span> and the <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> produced by the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> before the multi-<span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> <span class="dictionary">grand jury</span> shall then be <span class="dictionary">admissible</span> in the <span class="dictionary">trial</span> of the criminal <span class="dictionary">offense</span> with which the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> is charged (i) to establish a charge of <span class="dictionary">perjury</span> in the Commonwealth&#x2019;s case-in-chief on the basis of his <span class="dictionary">testimony</span> before the multi-<span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> <span class="dictionary">grand jury</span> and (ii) for the purpose of impeaching the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> in the <span class="dictionary">trial</span> of any other criminal matter, provided the <span class="dictionary">testimony</span> or <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> being used for <span class="dictionary">impeachment</span> was produced by the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> voluntarily before the multi-<span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> <span class="dictionary">grand jury</span>. <a id="paragraph-249998" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-215.9/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1983, c. 543; 2014, c. 389; 2016, c. 262; 2019, c. 522.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
