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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>66046</law_id><section_number>20-115</section_number><catch_line>Commitment and sentence for failure to comply with order or decree</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>16.1-278.16</reference><reference>20-113</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="20">Domestic Relations</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="6">Divorce, Affirmation and Annulment</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Upon failure or refusal to give the <span class="dictionary">recognizance</span> provided for in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Recognizance for compliance with order or decree" href="/20-114/">20-114</a>, or upon <span class="dictionary">conviction</span> of any <span class="dictionary">party</span> for <span class="dictionary">contempt of court</span> in (i) failing or refusing to comply with any <span class="dictionary">order</span> or <span class="dictionary">decree</span> for support and maintenance for a spouse or for a child or children or (ii) willfully failing or refusing to comply with any <span class="dictionary">order</span> entered pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Court may make orders pending suit for divorce, custody or visitation, etc" href="/20-103/">20-103</a> or &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Court may decree as to property and debts of the parties" href="/20-107.3/">20-107.3</a>, the court (i) may commit and sentence such <span class="dictionary">party</span> to a local correctional facility as provided for in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Desertion or nonsupport of wife, husband or children in necessitous circumstances" href="/20-61/">20-61</a> and (ii) may assign the <span class="dictionary">party</span> to a work release program pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Provision for release of prisoner from confinement for employment, educational or other rehabilitative programs; escape; penalty; disposition of earnings" href="/53.1-131/">53.1-131</a> or to perform public service work; in either event the assignment shall be for a fixed or indeterminate period or until the further <span class="dictionary">order</span> of the court. However, in no event shall commitment or work assignment be for more than twelve months. The sum or sums as provided for in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Support payments by county or city" href="/20-63/">20-63</a>, shall be paid as therein set forth, to be used for the support and maintenance of the spouse or the child or children for whose benefit such <span class="dictionary">order</span> or <span class="dictionary">decree</span> provided.</p></section></text><history>1942, p. 639; Michie Code 1942, &#xA7; 5111a; 1975, c. 644; 1991, c. 698; 1995, c. 428.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
