<?xml version="1.0"?>
<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>54053</law_id><section_number>19.2-270.2</section_number><catch_line>Disposition of money, securities or documents seized upon arrest, etc., and pertinent as evidence</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>19.2-11.01</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="16">Evidence and Witnesses</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="1">In General</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> When in the course of investigation or <span class="dictionary">arrest</span>, the investigating or arresting officer shall seize or come into the <span class="dictionary">possession</span> of moneys, cash, or negotiable or nonnegotiable instruments or securities, hereinafter called &#x201C;moneys or securities,&#x201D; taken or retained unlawfully from a financial institution or other person, and such moneys or securities, or a portion thereof, shall be pertinent <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> in a pending <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span> or <span class="dictionary">appeal</span> therefrom, the officer or agency having <span class="dictionary">possession</span> thereof, may retain, pending such <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span> or <span class="dictionary">appeal</span> thereof, sufficient of such moneys or securities as shall be necessary to prove the <span class="dictionary">crime</span> of grand <span class="dictionary">larceny</span> or other <span class="dictionary">crimes</span> requiring a specific amount in value. The <span class="dictionary">court</span> upon <span class="dictionary">motion</span> of the attorney for the Commonwealth and for good cause shown may <span class="dictionary">order</span> the release of all moneys or securities, subject to the provisions of this section. The remaining excess moneys or securities, if any, may be released to the owner thereof, upon proper receipt therefor, which release shall be with the consent of the attorney for the Commonwealth. The officer or agency authorizing such release shall make an appropriate record of such moneys or securities released, including designation or copying of serial numbers, and such record or receipt shall be <span class="dictionary">admissible</span> into <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> in any proceeding, <span class="dictionary">hearing</span> or <span class="dictionary">trial</span> of the case to the same extent as if such moneys or securities had been introduced. Such record or receipt shall contain the name of the financial institution or person from whom such moneys or securities were taken, the place from which taken, the name of the <span class="dictionary">accused</span>, and the name of the arresting officer or officers coming into initial <span class="dictionary">possession</span> of such moneys or securities. Pictures shall be taken of any instruments or securities and such pictures shall be attached to the receipt or record above and shall contain further, in the case of such copying, the date of the photograph and the name of the photographer. <a id="paragraph-198434" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-270.2/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> When in the course of investigation or <span class="dictionary">arrest</span>, the investigating or arresting officer seizes or comes into the <span class="dictionary">possession</span> of moneys or securities under the provisions of this section, and such moneys or securities, or a portion thereof, are introduced as an exhibit in a <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span> or <span class="dictionary">appeal</span> therefrom, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> may, with the consent of the attorney for the Commonwealth, authorize the clerk of the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span>, upon all <span class="dictionary">appeal</span> rights being exhausted, to deposit such moneys or cash in an interest-bearing account. <a id="paragraph-198435" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-270.2/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1980, c. 423; 1991, c. 680; 1995, c. 447.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
