{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/16.1-353.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/16.1-353.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/16.1-353.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/16.1-353.html"}],"law_id":349781,"edition_id":2,"section_id":349781,"structure_id":50090,"section_number":"16.1-353","catch_line":"Further proceedings to determine permanent guardianship, custody","history":"1998, c. 829; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 241.","full_text":"A\n\nIf the triggering event was death of the qualified parent, within 90 days following the occurrence of the triggering event or, if later, commencement of the standby guardian’s authority, the standby guardian shall (i) petition for appointment of a guardian for the child as otherwise provided by law or (ii) initiate other proceedings to determine custody of the child pursuant to Chapter 6.1 (§ 20-124.1 et seq.) of Title 20, or both.\n\nB\n\nIn all other cases a standby guardian shall promptly after occurrence of the triggering event initiate such proceedings to determine permanent custody, absent objection by the qualified parent.\n\t\t\tThe petition shall be accompanied by:\n\n1\n\nThe court order approving or written designation of a standby guardian; and\n\n2\n\nThe attending physician’s written determination of incompetence or debilitation; a verification of death; or evidence of the parent’s detention, incarceration, or deportation in connection with an immigration action.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1303905,"text":"If the triggering event was death of the qualified parent, within 90 days following the occurrence of the triggering event or, if later, commencement of the standby guardian’s authority, the standby guardian shall (i) petition for appointment of a guardian for the child as otherwise provided by law or (ii) initiate other proceedings to determine custody of the child pursuant to Chapter 6.1 (§ 20-124.1 et seq.) of Title 20, or both.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":1303906,"text":"In all other cases a standby guardian shall promptly after occurrence of the triggering event initiate such proceedings to determine permanent custody, absent objection by the qualified parent.\n\t\t\tThe petition shall be accompanied by:","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"B1"},"2":{"id":1303907,"text":"The court order approving or written designation of a standby guardian; and","type":"section","prefixes":["B","1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"B1","prefix_anchor":"B1","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"B2"},"3":{"id":1303908,"text":"The attending physician’s written determination of incompetence or debilitation; a verification of death; or evidence of the parent’s detention, incarceration, or deportation in connection with an immigration action.","type":"section","prefixes":["B","2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"B2","prefix_anchor":"B2","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B1"}},"ancestry":[{"id":50090,"edition_id":2,"name":"Standby Guardianship","identifier":"17","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":19,"parent_id":50069,"metadata":{"child_laws":7,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:21:56","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:08","permalink":{"id":1388373,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50090,"identifier":"17","token":"16.1\/11\/17","url":"\/16.1\/11\/17\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50069,"edition_id":2,"name":"Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Courts","identifier":"11","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":12,"parent_id":50057,"metadata":{"child_laws":246,"child_structures":22},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:21:21","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:00","permalink":{"id":1387947,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50069,"identifier":"11","token":"16.1\/11","url":"\/16.1\/11\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50057,"edition_id":2,"name":"Courts Not of Record","identifier":"16.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":48,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":446,"child_structures":47},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:21:14","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:29:57","permalink":{"id":1387921,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50057,"identifier":"16.1","token":"16.1","url":"\/16.1\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":349777,"structure_id":50090,"section_number":"16.1-349","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/16.1-349\/","token":"16.1\/11\/17\/16.1-349","metadata":false},{"id":349778,"structure_id":50090,"section_number":"16.1-350","catch_line":"Petition for court approval of standby guardian","url":"\/16.1-350\/","token":"16.1\/11\/17\/16.1-350","metadata":false},{"id":349779,"structure_id":50090,"section_number":"16.1-351","catch_line":"Court order approving standby guardianship; authority; when effective","url":"\/16.1-351\/","token":"16.1\/11\/17\/16.1-351","metadata":false},{"id":349780,"structure_id":50090,"section_number":"16.1-352","catch_line":"Written designation of a standby guardian by a parent; commencement of authority; court approval required","url":"\/16.1-352\/","token":"16.1\/11\/17\/16.1-352","metadata":false},{"id":349781,"structure_id":50090,"section_number":"16.1-353","catch_line":"Further proceedings to determine permanent guardianship, custody","url":"\/16.1-353\/","token":"16.1\/11\/17\/16.1-353","metadata":false},{"id":349782,"structure_id":50090,"section_number":"16.1-354","catch_line":"Revocation, refusal, termination of standby guardianship","url":"\/16.1-354\/","token":"16.1\/11\/17\/16.1-354","metadata":false},{"id":349783,"structure_id":50090,"section_number":"16.1-355","catch_line":"Review of standby guardianship","url":"\/16.1-355\/","token":"16.1\/11\/17\/16.1-355","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":349780,"structure_id":50090,"section_number":"16.1-352","catch_line":"Written designation of a standby guardian by a parent; commencement of authority; court approval required","url":"\/16.1-352\/","token":"16.1\/11\/17\/16.1-352","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":349782,"structure_id":50090,"section_number":"16.1-354","catch_line":"Revocation, refusal, termination of standby guardianship","url":"\/16.1-354\/","token":"16.1\/11\/17\/16.1-354","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/16.1-353\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1998. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 829<\/a> 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.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":353529,"section_number":"20-124.1","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/20-124.1\/"}],"permalink":{"id":1388391,"object_type":"law","relational_id":349781,"identifier":"16.1-353","token":"16.1\/11\/17\/16.1-353","url":"\/16.1-353\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/16.1-353\/","token":"16.1\/11\/17\/16.1-353","dublin_core":{"Title":"Further proceedings to determine permanent guardianship, custody","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 16.1-353","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> If the triggering event was death of the qualified parent, within 90 days following the occurrence of the triggering event or, if later, commencement of the standby guardian’s authority, the standby guardian shall (i) petition<\/span> for appointment of a guardian for the child as otherwise provided by law<\/span> or (ii) initiate other proceedings to determine custody<\/span> of the child pursuant to Chapter 6.1 (§ 20-124.1<\/a> et seq.) of Title 20, or both. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> In all other cases a standby guardian shall promptly after occurrence of the triggering event initiate such proceedings to determine permanent custody<\/span>, absent objection by the qualified parent.\n\t\t\tThe petition<\/span> shall be accompanied by: <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> The court<\/span> order<\/span> approving or written designation of a standby guardian; and <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> The attending physician’s written determination of incompetence or debilitation; a verification of death; or evidence<\/span> of the parent’s detention, incarceration, or deportation in connection with an immigration action. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nFURTHER PROCEEDINGS TO DETERMINE PERMANENT GUARDIANSHIP, CUSTODY (\u00a7 16.1-353)\n\nA. If the triggering event was death of the qualified parent, within 90 days\nfollowing the occurrence of the triggering event or, if later, commencement of\nthe standby guardian’s authority, the standby guardian shall (i) petition\nfor appointment of a guardian for the child as otherwise provided by law or (ii)\ninitiate other proceedings to determine custody of the child pursuant to Chapter\n6.1 (§ 20-124.1 et seq.) of Title 20, or both.\n\nB. In all other cases a standby guardian shall promptly after occurrence of the\ntriggering event initiate such proceedings to determine permanent custody,\nabsent objection by the qualified parent.\n\t\t\tThe petition shall be accompanied by:\n\n 1. The court order approving or written designation of a standby guardian; and\n\n 2. The attending physician’s written determination of incompetence or\n debilitation; a verification of death; or evidence of the parent’s\n detention, incarceration, or deportation in connection with an immigration\n action.\n\nHISTORY: 1998, c. 829; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 241.","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"}}