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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>70672</law_id><section_number>19.2-292</section_number><catch_line>Acquittal by jury on merits bar to further prosecution for same offense</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="2">Former Jeopardy</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>A person acquitted upon the <span class="dictionary">facts</span> and merits on a former <span class="dictionary">trial</span>, may plead such <span class="dictionary">acquittal</span> in bar of a second <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span> for the same <span class="dictionary">offense</span>, notwithstanding any defect in the form or substance of the <span class="dictionary">indictment</span> or accusation on which he was acquitted, unless the case be for a violation of the <span class="dictionary">law</span> relating to the state revenue and the <span class="dictionary">acquittal</span> be reversed on a <span class="dictionary">writ</span> of error on behalf of the Commonwealth.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 19.1-257; 1960, c. 366; 1975, c. 495.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
