{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/17.1-305.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/17.1-305.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/17.1-305.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/17.1-305.html"}],"law_id":350094,"edition_id":2,"section_id":350094,"structure_id":50119,"section_number":"17.1-305","catch_line":"Special sessions","history":"Code 1919, \u00a7\u00a7 5884, 5885, \u00a7\u00a7 17-100, 17-101; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 51; 1998, c. 872.","full_text":"The Supreme Court by an order entered of record, may direct a special session to be held at such time as it may deem proper.\n\nA special session may also be held, by order of the Chief Justice in vacation, on the written request of the Governor to him, or whenever it is proper in the opinion of the Chief Justice. The time of holding the special session shall be designated in the order, which shall be directed to the clerk, who shall enter it in his record book and give notice thereof to each justice of the Court.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1304784,"text":"The Supreme Court by an order entered of record, may direct a special session to be held at such time as it may deem proper.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":""},"1":{"id":1304785,"text":"A special session may also be held, by order of the Chief Justice in vacation, on the written request of the Governor to him, or whenever it is proper in the opinion of the Chief Justice. The time of holding the special session shall be designated in the order, which shall be directed to the clerk, who shall enter it in his record book and give notice thereof to each justice of the Court.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"prior_prefix":""}},"ancestry":[{"id":50119,"edition_id":2,"name":"Composition, Jurisdiction, Etc","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":50118,"metadata":{"child_laws":24,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:22:36","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:12","permalink":{"id":1390485,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50119,"identifier":"1","token":"17.1\/3\/1","url":"\/17.1\/3\/1\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50118,"edition_id":2,"name":"Supreme Court","identifier":"3","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":3,"parent_id":50105,"metadata":{"child_laws":32,"child_structures":3},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:22:36","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:12","permalink":{"id":1390483,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50118,"identifier":"3","token":"17.1\/3","url":"\/17.1\/3\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50105,"edition_id":2,"name":"Courts of Record","identifier":"17.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":50,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":322,"child_structures":25},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:22:16","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:09","permalink":{"id":1389801,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50105,"identifier":"17.1","token":"17.1","url":"\/17.1\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":350089,"structure_id":50119,"section_number":"17.1-300","catch_line":"Composition of Court; quorum; Chief Justice","url":"\/17.1-300\/","token":"17.1\/3\/1\/17.1-300","metadata":false},{"id":350090,"structure_id":50119,"section_number":"17.1-301","catch_line":"Presiding justice when Chief Justice absent","url":"\/17.1-301\/","token":"17.1\/3\/1\/17.1-301","metadata":false},{"id":350091,"structure_id":50119,"section_number":"17.1-302","catch_line":"Senior justice","url":"\/17.1-302\/","token":"17.1\/3\/1\/17.1-302","metadata":false},{"id":350092,"structure_id":50119,"section_number":"17.1-303","catch_line":"Election of successor justice before date of vacancy","url":"\/17.1-303\/","token":"17.1\/3\/1\/17.1-303","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":350093,"structure_id":50119,"section_number":"17.1-304","catch_line":"Terms and sessions, state of emergency","url":"\/17.1-304\/","token":"17.1\/3\/1\/17.1-304","metadata":false},{"id":350094,"structure_id":50119,"section_number":"17.1-305","catch_line":"Special sessions","url":"\/17.1-305\/","token":"17.1\/3\/1\/17.1-305","metadata":false},{"id":350095,"structure_id":50119,"section_number":"17.1-306","catch_line":"What may be tried at special session; effect of decisions","url":"\/17.1-306\/","token":"17.1\/3\/1\/17.1-306","metadata":false},{"id":350096,"structure_id":50119,"section_number":"17.1-307","catch_line":"Information and recommendations as to other courts","url":"\/17.1-307\/","token":"17.1\/3\/1\/17.1-307","metadata":false},{"id":350097,"structure_id":50119,"section_number":"17.1-308","catch_line":"Court may sit and render final judgment en banc or in divisions; when decision becomes judgment of Court; majority must concur in declaring law unconstitutional; rehearings","url":"\/17.1-308\/","token":"17.1\/3\/1\/17.1-308","metadata":false},{"id":350098,"structure_id":50119,"section_number":"17.1-309","catch_line":"Jurisdiction of writs of mandamus and prohibition","url":"\/17.1-309\/","token":"17.1\/3\/1\/17.1-309","metadata":false},{"id":350099,"structure_id":50119,"section_number":"17.1-310","catch_line":"Habeas corpus, appeals, writs of error and supersedeas","url":"\/17.1-310\/","token":"17.1\/3\/1\/17.1-310","metadata":false},{"id":350100,"structure_id":50119,"section_number":"17.1-311","catch_line":"Where prohibition and mandamus issued and tried","url":"\/17.1-311\/","token":"17.1\/3\/1\/17.1-311","metadata":false},{"id":350101,"structure_id":50119,"section_number":"17.1-312","catch_line":"Where criminal jurisdiction exercised","url":"\/17.1-312\/","token":"17.1\/3\/1\/17.1-312","metadata":false},{"id":350102,"structure_id":50119,"section_number":"17.1-313","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/17.1-313\/","token":"17.1\/3\/1\/17.1-313","metadata":false},{"id":350103,"structure_id":50119,"section_number":"17.1-314","catch_line":"Executive Secretary","url":"\/17.1-314\/","token":"17.1\/3\/1\/17.1-314","metadata":{"court_decisions":{"0":{"name":"Genesis Hammond-Schrock v. Commonwealth of Virginia","case_number":"1960244","citation":null,"date":"2026-02-17","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/10794908\/genesis-hammond-schrock-v-commonwealth-of-virginia\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. COURT OF APPEALS OF VIRGINIA .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"COA<\/abbr>"}}}},{"id":350104,"structure_id":50119,"section_number":"17.1-315","catch_line":"Duties of Executive Secretary","url":"\/17.1-315\/","token":"17.1\/3\/1\/17.1-315","metadata":false},{"id":350105,"structure_id":50119,"section_number":"17.1-316","catch_line":"Printing and binding reports of Supreme Court","url":"\/17.1-316\/","token":"17.1\/3\/1\/17.1-316","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":350106,"structure_id":50119,"section_number":"17.1-317","catch_line":"Printing and distribution of advance sheets of such reports","url":"\/17.1-317\/","token":"17.1\/3\/1\/17.1-317","metadata":false},{"id":350107,"structure_id":50119,"section_number":"17.1-318","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/17.1-318\/","token":"17.1\/3\/1\/17.1-318","metadata":false},{"id":350108,"structure_id":50119,"section_number":"17.1-319","catch_line":"Custody and distribution of reports of Supreme Court; Court of Appeals","url":"\/17.1-319\/","token":"17.1\/3\/1\/17.1-319","metadata":false},{"id":350109,"structure_id":50119,"section_number":"17.1-320","catch_line":"Furnishing reports to law libraries destroyed by fire","url":"\/17.1-320\/","token":"17.1\/3\/1\/17.1-320","metadata":false},{"id":350110,"structure_id":50119,"section_number":"17.1-321","catch_line":"Reporter of Court; his appointment and salary","url":"\/17.1-321\/","token":"17.1\/3\/1\/17.1-321","metadata":false},{"id":350111,"structure_id":50119,"section_number":"17.1-322","catch_line":"Duties","url":"\/17.1-322\/","token":"17.1\/3\/1\/17.1-322","metadata":false},{"id":350112,"structure_id":50119,"section_number":"17.1-323","catch_line":"Clerk to deliver opinions to Reporter","url":"\/17.1-323\/","token":"17.1\/3\/1\/17.1-323","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":350093,"structure_id":50119,"section_number":"17.1-304","catch_line":"Terms and sessions, state of emergency","url":"\/17.1-304\/","token":"17.1\/3\/1\/17.1-304","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":350095,"structure_id":50119,"section_number":"17.1-306","catch_line":"What may be tried at special session; effect of decisions","url":"\/17.1-306\/","token":"17.1\/3\/1\/17.1-306","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/17.1-305\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 1 time. 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. That modification is as follows: in 1998, chapter 872<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1390507,"object_type":"law","relational_id":350094,"identifier":"17.1-305","token":"17.1\/3\/1\/17.1-305","url":"\/17.1-305\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/17.1-305\/","token":"17.1\/3\/1\/17.1-305","dublin_core":{"Title":"Special sessions","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 17.1-305","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

The Supreme Court<\/span> by an order<\/span> entered of record, may direct a special session to be held at such time as it may deem proper.<\/p>

A special session may also be held, by order<\/span> of the Chief Justice in vacation, on the written request of the Governor to him, or whenever it is proper in the opinion<\/span> of the Chief Justice. The time of holding the special session shall be designated in the order<\/span>, which shall be directed to the clerk, who shall enter it in his record book and give notice thereof to each justice of the Court<\/span>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nSPECIAL SESSIONS (\u00a7 17.1-305)\n\nThe Supreme Court by an order entered of record, may direct a special session to\nbe held at such time as it may deem proper.\n\nA special session may also be held, by order of the Chief Justice in vacation,\non the written request of the Governor to him, or whenever it is proper in the\nopinion of the Chief Justice. The time of holding the special session shall be\ndesignated in the order, which shall be directed to the clerk, who shall enter\nit in his record book and give notice thereof to each justice of the Court.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1919, \u00a7\u00a7 5884, 5885, \u00a7\u00a7 17-100, 17-101; 1971, Ex. Sess., c.\n51; 1998, c. 872.","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"}}