                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

PETITION FOR REMOVAL OF COUNTY COURTHOUSE; WRIT OF ELECTION (§ 15.2-1644)

A. Whenever a number of voters equal to at least one third of the voters of a
county registered in the county on the January 1 preceding filing of the
petition, petition the circuit court of such county, or whenever the governing
body of any county by resolution duly adopted requests the circuit court for
such county, for an election in such county on the question of the removal of
the courthouse to one or more places specified in the petition or resolution,
such court shall issue a writ of election in accordance with Article 5 (&#xA7;
24.2-681 et seq.) of Chapter 6 of Title 24.2, which shall fix the day of holding
such election. Such petition shall also state the amount to be appropriated by
the board of supervisors for the purchase of land, unless the land is to be
donated, and for the erection of necessary buildings and improvements at the new
location.

B. If the courthouse is used before and after removal for any city as well as
for the county, then the petition shall be signed by a number of voters equal to
at least one-third of the total number of voters registered in the locality on
the January 1 preceding filing of the petition. The registered voters of such
city shall be eligible to sign the petition. The petition shall state the
amounts to be appropriated by both the county and city. The voters of such city
shall be eligible to vote in any election on the question of relocating the
courthouse. The court shall issue a writ of election to such city the same as
issued to and for the county.
			The votes of such city voters shall be treated as if they were cast by
qualified voters of the county for the purposes of these sections (&#xA7;&#xA7;
15.2-1644 through 15.2-1654).

C. In the case of the removal of a county courthouse that is not located in a
city or town, and that is not being relocated to a city or town, such removal
shall not require a petition or approval by the voters. However, this subsection
shall not apply to the removal or relocation of any county courthouse, whether
located on county or city property, that is entirely surrounded by a city, and
any such courthouse shall be removed or relocated only in accordance with the
provisions of subsections A and B.

HISTORY: Code 1950, § 15-43; 1956, c. 95; 1962, c. 623, § 15.1-559; 1971, Ex.
Sess., cc. 42, 245; 1975, c. 517; 1978, c. 380; 1997, c. 587; 2017, c. 487;
2018, c. 732.