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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>59053</law_id><section_number>19.2-291</section_number><catch_line>Faulty counts; motion to strike; general verdict of guilty</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="19.2">Criminal Procedure</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="17">Convictions; Effect Thereof</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="1">Proof and Verdicts</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>When there are several counts in the <span class="dictionary">indictment</span> one or more of which are faulty, the <span class="dictionary">accused</span> may move to strike the faulty count or counts or move the <span class="dictionary">court</span> to instruct the <span class="dictionary">jury</span> to disregard them. If he does neither and a general <span class="dictionary">verdict</span> of guilty is found, <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> shall be entered against the <span class="dictionary">accused</span>, if any count be good, though others be faulty, unless the <span class="dictionary">court</span> can plainly see that the <span class="dictionary">verdict</span> could not have been found on the good count. If the <span class="dictionary">accused</span> demurs to the faulty count or moves the <span class="dictionary">court</span> to instruct the <span class="dictionary">jury</span> to disregard it and his <span class="dictionary">demurrer</span> or <span class="dictionary">motion</span> is overruled and there is a general <span class="dictionary">verdict</span> of guilty and it cannot be seen on which count the <span class="dictionary">verdict</span> was founded, if the <span class="dictionary">jury</span> has been discharged, it shall be set aside; but if it is manifest that it could not have been found on the bad count, the <span class="dictionary">verdict</span> shall be allowed to stand.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 19.1-255; 1960, c. 366; 1975, c. 495.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
