{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/15.2-1607.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/15.2-1607.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/15.2-1607.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/15.2-1607.html"}],"law_id":347426,"edition_id":2,"section_id":347426,"structure_id":49863,"section_number":"15.2-1607","catch_line":"Providing legal fees and expenses for sheriffs and deputies","history":"1975, c. 30, \u00a7 15.1-66.3; 1983, c. 232; 1997, c. 587.","full_text":"If any sheriff or deputy sheriff is arrested or indicted or otherwise prosecuted on any charge arising out of any act committed in the discharge of his official duties, and such charge is subsequently dismissed or there is rendered a verdict of not guilty, such sheriff or deputy sheriff may submit to the governing body of the locality in which he was elected or appointed a statement of legal fees and expenses incurred in his defense of such charge. The governing body may authorize that such legal fees and expenses, or any portion thereof, be paid from the treasury of such locality. If the affected sheriff or deputy sheriff disagrees with the action of the governing body, the officer may petition the circuit court for the county or city to award the fees and cost. The circuit court, sitting without a jury, shall hold a hearing on the matter. The court for good cause shown may order the governing body to pay all or any appropriate portion of the fees and cost.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1296269,"text":"If any sheriff or deputy sheriff is arrested or indicted or otherwise prosecuted on any charge arising out of any act committed in the discharge of his official duties, and such charge is subsequently dismissed or there is rendered a verdict of not guilty, such sheriff or deputy sheriff may submit to the governing body of the locality in which he was elected or appointed a statement of legal fees and expenses incurred in his defense of such charge. The governing body may authorize that such legal fees and expenses, or any portion thereof, be paid from the treasury of such locality. If the affected sheriff or deputy sheriff disagrees with the action of the governing body, the officer may petition the circuit court for the county or city to award the fees and cost. The circuit court, sitting without a jury, shall hold a hearing on the matter. The court for good cause shown may order the governing body to pay all or any appropriate portion of the fees and cost.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":49863,"edition_id":2,"name":"Local Constitutional Officers, Courthouses and Supplies","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":49862,"metadata":{"child_laws":10,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:16:48","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:29:30","permalink":{"id":1380309,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":49863,"identifier":"1","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1","url":"\/15.2\/II\/16\/1\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":49862,"edition_id":2,"name":"Local Constitutional Officers, Courthouses and Supplies","identifier":"16","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":7,"parent_id":49834,"metadata":{"child_laws":105,"child_structures":10},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:16:48","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:29:30","permalink":{"id":1380307,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":49862,"identifier":"16","token":"15.2\/II\/16","url":"\/15.2\/II\/16\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":49834,"edition_id":2,"name":"Powers of Local Government","identifier":"II","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":2,"parent_id":49831,"metadata":{"child_laws":1081,"child_structures":112},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:16:24","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:29:25","permalink":{"id":1379371,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":49834,"identifier":"II","token":"15.2\/II","url":"\/15.2\/II\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":49831,"edition_id":2,"name":"Counties, Cities and Towns","identifier":"15.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":46,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":2297,"child_structures":225},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:16:22","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:29:22","permalink":{"id":1378281,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":49831,"identifier":"15.2","token":"15.2","url":"\/15.2\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":347417,"structure_id":49863,"section_number":"15.2-1600","catch_line":"Counties and cities required to elect certain officers; qualifications of attorney for the Commonwealth; duties and compensation of officers; vacancies, certain counties and cities excepted; officer's powers not to be diminished","url":"\/15.2-1600\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1600","metadata":false},{"id":347418,"structure_id":49863,"section_number":"15.2-1601","catch_line":"Requirements for officers","url":"\/15.2-1601\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1601","metadata":false},{"id":347419,"structure_id":49863,"section_number":"15.2-1602","catch_line":"Sharing of such officers by two or more units of government","url":"\/15.2-1602\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1602","metadata":false},{"id":347420,"structure_id":49863,"section_number":"15.2-1603","catch_line":"Appointment of deputies; their powers; how removed","url":"\/15.2-1603\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1603","metadata":false},{"id":347421,"structure_id":49863,"section_number":"15.2-1604","catch_line":"Appointment of deputies and employment of employees; discriminatory practices by certain officers; civil penalty","url":"\/15.2-1604\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1604","metadata":false},{"id":347424,"structure_id":49863,"section_number":"15.2-1605","catch_line":"Vacations; sick leave and compensatory time for certain officers and employees","url":"\/15.2-1605\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1605","metadata":false},{"id":347422,"structure_id":49863,"section_number":"15.2-1605.1","catch_line":"Supplementing compensation of certain county and city officers and their employees","url":"\/15.2-1605.1\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1605.1","metadata":false},{"id":347423,"structure_id":49863,"section_number":"15.2-1605.2","catch_line":"Salary increases for constitutional officers","url":"\/15.2-1605.2\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1605.2","metadata":false},{"id":347425,"structure_id":49863,"section_number":"15.2-1606","catch_line":"Defense of constitutional officers; appointment of counsel","url":"\/15.2-1606\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1606","metadata":false},{"id":347426,"structure_id":49863,"section_number":"15.2-1607","catch_line":"Providing legal fees and expenses for sheriffs and deputies","url":"\/15.2-1607\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1607","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":347425,"structure_id":49863,"section_number":"15.2-1606","catch_line":"Defense of constitutional officers; appointment of counsel","url":"\/15.2-1606\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1606","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/15.2-1607\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1975. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 30 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1975 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 2 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1983, chapter 232; in 1997, chapter 587<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1380347,"object_type":"law","relational_id":347426,"identifier":"15.2-1607","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1607","url":"\/15.2-1607\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/15.2-1607\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1607","dublin_core":{"Title":"Providing legal fees and expenses for sheriffs and deputies","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 15.2-1607","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

If any sheriff or deputy sheriff is arrested or indicted or otherwise prosecuted on any charge arising out of any act committed in the discharge of his official duties, and such charge is subsequently dismissed or there is rendered a verdict<\/span> of not guilty, such sheriff or deputy sheriff may submit to the governing body<\/span> of the locality<\/span> in which he was elected or appointed a statement of legal fees and expenses incurred in his defense of such charge. The governing body<\/span> may authorize that such legal fees and expenses, or any portion thereof, be paid from the treasury of such locality<\/span>. If the affected sheriff or deputy sheriff disagrees with the action of the governing body<\/span>, the officer may petition<\/span> the circuit<\/span> court<\/span> for the county<\/span> or city<\/span> to award the fees and cost. The circuit<\/span> court<\/span>, sitting without a jury<\/span>, shall hold a hearing<\/span> on the matter. The court<\/span> for good cause shown may order<\/span> the governing body<\/span> to pay all or any appropriate portion of the fees and cost.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPROVIDING LEGAL FEES AND EXPENSES FOR SHERIFFS AND DEPUTIES (\u00a7 15.2-1607)\n\nIf any sheriff or deputy sheriff is arrested or indicted or otherwise prosecuted\non any charge arising out of any act committed in the discharge of his official\nduties, and such charge is subsequently dismissed or there is rendered a verdict\nof not guilty, such sheriff or deputy sheriff may submit to the governing body\nof the locality in which he was elected or appointed a statement of legal fees\nand expenses incurred in his defense of such charge. The governing body may\nauthorize that such legal fees and expenses, or any portion thereof, be paid\nfrom the treasury of such locality. If the affected sheriff or deputy sheriff\ndisagrees with the action of the governing body, the officer may petition the\ncircuit court for the county or city to award the fees and cost. The circuit\ncourt, sitting without a jury, shall hold a hearing on the matter. The court for\ngood cause shown may order the governing body to pay all or any appropriate\nportion of the fees and cost.\n\nHISTORY: 1975, c. 30, \u00a7 15.1-66.3; 1983, c. 232; 1997, c. 587.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}