                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

SHARING OF OFFICES; TRANSFER OF JURISDICTION (§ 15.2-3822)

A. Any attorney for the Commonwealth, clerk of a circuit court, or sheriff who
performed his duties and had jurisdiction in both a city and a county prior to
July 1, 1979, under provisions of this chapter in effect prior to that date,
shall continue to serve both localities until (i) the city ceases to share such
positions in accordance with the provisions of general law or (ii) the city is
transferred in accordance with the provisions of &#xA7;&#xA7; 16.1-69.6 and
17.1-506 to a judicial circuit and district which is comprised of a county other
than the circuit and district where the city was situated. Until such
declaration or transfer is made, the qualified voters residing in the city may
vote for these officers at the general election for county officers.

B. Upon the effective date of the transfer referred to in clause (ii) of
subsection A, the judges of the circuit court for the county in the judicial
circuit to which the city was transferred shall appoint the attorney for the
Commonwealth and clerk of the circuit court for that adjoining county. If the
city has a locally elected city sheriff, the city sheriff shall be the only
sheriff for the city. The city may contract with the county to which it was
transferred for jail facilities. If the effective date of the transfer is to
take place within 120 days after an election for the clerk of the circuit court
or attorney for the Commonwealth in the county to which the city is transferred,
the voters of the city shall be entitled to vote in the election for each
officer. The voting wards or precincts of the city shall be treated as precincts
of the adjoining county and no candidate for these offices shall be required to
qualify separately in the city. The qualified voters of the city shall
thereafter be entitled to vote for these officers.

C. If the situation in either clause (i) or (ii) of subsection A occurs, then:

   1. As to any crime occurring or civil cause of action arising in the city
   before the effective date of the transfer, the circuit court for the former
   judicial circuit shall have jurisdiction; and

   2. As to any crime occurring or civil cause of action arising in the city on
   or after the effective date of the transfer involving a matter required by
   general law to be located in a circuit court, the circuit court for the
   judicial circuit to which the city was transferred shall have jurisdiction.

D. All writings authorized by law to be recorded in the circuit court for the
city transferred pursuant to clause (ii) of subsection A shall be recorded in
the circuit court to which the city was transferred beginning on the effective
date of the transfer.

HISTORY: 1980, c. 592, § 15.1-994.1; 1987, c. 624; 1997, c. 587.