                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

LOCAL LAW LIBRARIES IN CHARGE OF CIRCUIT COURT CLERKS; COMPUTER RESEARCH
SERVICES; EXPENSES (§ 42.1-65)

A. If the members of the bar practicing in any county or city of the
Commonwealth shall procure by voluntary contribution a law library with a value
of at least $500 for the use of the courts held in such county or city, and of
the bar practicing therein, it shall be the duty of the circuit court of such
county or city to require its clerk to take charge of the law library so
contributed and to keep the law library in the courthouse or clerk&#8217;s
office building according to the rules prescribed by the bar and approved by the
court. In addition, all or a portion of such law library may be housed in the
local public library with the approval of and subject to the management and
control of the local public library.

B. If the members of the bars practicing in two or more adjoining counties or
cities of the Commonwealth shall jointly procure by voluntary contribution a law
library with a value of at least $500 for the joint use of the courts held in
such counties and cities, and of the bars practicing therein, it shall be the
joint duty of the circuit courts of such counties and cities to require one of
its clerks to take charge of the law library so contributed and to keep the law
library in the most convenient courthouse or clerk&#8217;s office building
according to the rules jointly prescribed by the bars and jointly approved by
the courts.

C. Such local and regional law libraries may purchase or lease computer
terminals for the purpose of retrieving available legal reference data, and if
so, the library rules shall provide for the assessment and collection of fees,
which may include use of a flat rate or fee structure, for the use of computer
research services other than for official use of the courts, attorneys for the
Commonwealth and public defenders and their assistants, and counties and cities
serviced by such libraries, which fees shall be sufficient to cover the expenses
of such services.

HISTORY: Code 1950, § 42-18; 1962, c. 515; 1970, c. 606; 1977, c. 397; 1989, c.
704; 2009, c. 617; 2022, c. 355.