                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

FORWARDING OF PETITION (§ 63.2-1228)

Upon the filing of the petition, the circuit court shall, upon being satisfied
as to proper jurisdiction and venue, immediately enter an interlocutory order or
an order referring the case to a child-placing agency to conduct an
investigation and prepare a report pursuant to § 63.2-1208. Upon entry of the
interlocutory order or the order of reference, the court shall forward a copy of
the petition and all exhibits thereto to the Commissioner and to the agency that
placed the child. In cases where the child was placed by an agency in another
state, or by an agency, court, or other entity in another country, the petition
and all exhibits shall be forwarded to the local director or licensed
child-placing agency, whichever agency completed the home study or provided
supervision. If no Virginia agency provided such services, or such agency is no
longer licensed or has gone out of business, the petition and all exhibits shall
be forwarded to the local director of the locality where the petitioners reside
or resided at the time of filing the petition or had legal residence at the time
of the filing of the petition.

HISTORY: Code 1950, § 63-349; 1954, c. 489; 1956, c. 489; 1956, c. 187; 1962,
c. 603; 1964, c. 429; 1968, cc. 346, 578, § 63.1-223; 1974, cc. 26, 493, 507;
1975, c. 364; 1978, c. 730; 1980, c. 740; 1982, c. 115; 1988, cc. 579, 599, 882;
1989, c. 647; 1992, c. 607; 1993, c. 553; 1995, cc. 772, 826; 2000, c. 830, §
63.1-219.35; 2002, c. 747; 2006, cc. 825, 848; 2022, c. 377.