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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>76381</law_id><section_number>32.1-48.04</section_number><catch_line>Isolation hearing; conditions; order for isolation; right to appeal</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="32.1">Health</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="2">Disease Prevention and Control</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="3.01">Isolation of Certain Persons With Communicable Diseases of Public Health Significance</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> The isolation <span class="dictionary">hearing</span> shall be held within 48 hours of the execution of any temporary detention <span class="dictionary">order</span> issued or, if the 48-hour period terminates on a Saturday, Sunday, legal holiday or day on which the <span class="dictionary">court</span> is lawfully closed, the isolation <span class="dictionary">hearing</span> shall be the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, legal holiday or day on which the <span class="dictionary">court</span> is lawfully closed.
			Prior to the <span class="dictionary">hearing</span>, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall fully inform the <span class="dictionary">person</span> who is infected with the <span class="dictionary">communicable disease of public health significance</span> of the basis for his detention, if any, the basis upon which he may be isolated, and the right of <span class="dictionary">appeal</span> of its decision. <a id="paragraph-274201" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/32.1-48.04/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> An <span class="dictionary">order</span> for isolation in the <span class="dictionary">person</span>&#x2019;s home or another&#x2019;s residence or an institution or other place, including a jail when no other reasonable alternative is available, may be issued upon a <span class="dictionary">finding</span> by the <span class="dictionary">court</span> that the following conditions are met: <a id="paragraph-274202" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/32.1-48.04/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> The <span class="dictionary">person</span> is infected with a <span class="dictionary">communicable disease of public health significance</span>. <a id="paragraph-274203" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/32.1-48.04/#B1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> The <span class="dictionary">person</span> is engaging in <span class="dictionary">at-risk behavior</span>. <a id="paragraph-274204" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/32.1-48.04/#B2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> The <span class="dictionary">person</span> has demonstrated an intentional disregard for the health of the public by engaging in behavior which has placed others at risk for infection with the <span class="dictionary">communicable disease of public health significance</span>. <a id="paragraph-274205" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/32.1-48.04/#B3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> There is no other reasonable alternative means of reducing the risk to public health. <a id="paragraph-274206" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/32.1-48.04/#B4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Any <span class="dictionary">order</span> for isolation in the <span class="dictionary">person</span>&#x2019;s home or another&#x2019;s residence or an institution or other place shall be valid for no more than 120 days, or for a shorter period of time if the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> or his designee, or the <span class="dictionary">court</span> upon <span class="dictionary">petition</span>, determines that the <span class="dictionary">person</span> no longer poses a substantial threat to the health of others. <span class="dictionary">Orders</span> for isolation in the <span class="dictionary">person</span>&#x2019;s home or another&#x2019;s residence may be enforced through the use of electronic devices. <span class="dictionary">Orders</span> for isolation may include additional requirements such as participation in counseling or education programs. The <span class="dictionary">court</span> may, upon <span class="dictionary">finding</span> that the <span class="dictionary">person</span> no longer poses a substantial threat to the health of others, <span class="dictionary">issue</span> an <span class="dictionary">order</span> solely for participation in counseling or educational programs. <a id="paragraph-274207" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/32.1-48.04/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> Isolation <span class="dictionary">orders</span> shall not be renewed without affording the <span class="dictionary">person</span> all rights conferred in this article.
			Any <span class="dictionary">person</span> under an isolation <span class="dictionary">order</span> pursuant to this section shall have the right to <span class="dictionary">appeal</span> such <span class="dictionary">order</span> to the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> in the <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> in which he resides. Such <span class="dictionary">appeal</span> shall be filed within 30 days from the date of the <span class="dictionary">order</span>. Notwithstanding the provisions of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Time within which court to set criminal cases for trial" href="/19.2-241/">19.2-241</a> relating to the time within which the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall set criminal cases for <span class="dictionary">trial</span>, any <span class="dictionary">appeal</span> of an isolation <span class="dictionary">order</span> shall be given priority over all other pending matters before the <span class="dictionary">court</span>, except those matters under <span class="dictionary">appeal</span> pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Appeal of involuntary admission or certification order" href="/37.2-821/">37.2-821</a>, and shall be heard as soon possible by the <span class="dictionary">court</span>. The clerk of the <span class="dictionary">court</span> from which an <span class="dictionary">appeal</span> is taken shall immediately transmit the record to the clerk of the <span class="dictionary">appellate</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span>.
			The <span class="dictionary">appeal</span> shall be heard <span class="dictionary">de novo</span>. An <span class="dictionary">order</span> continuing the isolation shall only be entered if the conditions set forth in subsection B are met at the time the <span class="dictionary">appeal</span> is heard.
			If the <span class="dictionary">person</span> under an isolation <span class="dictionary">order</span> is not represented by <span class="dictionary">counsel</span>, the <span class="dictionary">judge</span> shall appoint an attorney-at-<span class="dictionary">law</span> to represent him. <span class="dictionary">Counsel</span> so appointed shall be paid a fee of $150 and his necessary expenses. The <span class="dictionary">order</span> of the <span class="dictionary">court</span> from which the <span class="dictionary">appeal</span> is taken shall be defended by the attorney for the Commonwealth. <a id="paragraph-274208" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/32.1-48.04/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1990, c. 958; 2001, c. 837; 2004, cc. 773, 1021.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
