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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>69131</law_id><section_number>19.2-218.2</section_number><catch_line>Hearing before juvenile and domestic relations district court required for persons accused of certain violations against their spouses</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>19.2-218.1</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="14">Presentments, Indictments and Informations</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="1">Necessity for Indictment, Etc</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> In any case involving a violation of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Rape" href="/18.2-61/">18.2-61</a>, <a class="law" title="Forcible sodomy" href="/18.2-67.1/">18.2-67.1</a>, or <a class="law" title="Object sexual penetration; penalty" href="/18.2-67.2/">18.2-67.2</a> where the complaining <span class="dictionary">witness</span> is the spouse of the <span class="dictionary">accused</span>, where a <span class="dictionary">preliminary hearing</span> pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Preliminary hearings involving certain sexual crimes against spouses" href="/19.2-218.1/">19.2-218.1</a> has not been held prior to <span class="dictionary">indictment</span> or <span class="dictionary">trial</span>, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall refer the case to the appropriate juvenile and domestic relations district <span class="dictionary">court</span> for a hearing to determine whether counseling or therapy is appropriate prior to further <span class="dictionary">disposition</span> unless the hearing is waived in writing by the <span class="dictionary">accused</span>. The <span class="dictionary">court</span> conducting this hearing may <span class="dictionary">order</span> counseling or therapy for the <span class="dictionary">accused</span> in compliance with the guidelines set forth in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Preliminary hearings involving certain sexual crimes against spouses" href="/19.2-218.1/">19.2-218.1</a>. <a id="paragraph-250153" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-218.2/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> After such hearing pursuant to which the <span class="dictionary">accused</span> has completed counseling or therapy and upon the recommendation of the juvenile and domestic relations district <span class="dictionary">court</span> <span class="dictionary">judge</span> conducting the hearing, the <span class="dictionary">judge</span> of the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> may dismiss the charge with the consent of the attorney for the Commonwealth and if the <span class="dictionary">court</span> finds such action will promote maintenance of the family unit and be in the best interest of the complaining <span class="dictionary">witness</span>. <a id="paragraph-250154" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-218.2/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1986, c. 516; 2005, c. 631.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
