{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/18.2-461.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/18.2-461.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/18.2-461.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/18.2-461.html"}],"law_id":351005,"edition_id":2,"section_id":351005,"structure_id":50205,"section_number":"18.2-461","catch_line":"Falsely summoning or giving false reports to law-enforcement officials","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 18.1-401; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1996, cc. 753, 815; 2019, cc. 471, 498; 2020, Sp. Sess. I, c. 22.","full_text":"It shall be unlawful for any person (i) to knowingly give a false report as to the commission of any crime to any law-enforcement official with intent to mislead; (ii) to knowingly, with the intent to mislead a law-enforcement agency, cause another to give a false report to any law-enforcement official by publicly simulating a violation of Chapter 4 (\u00a7 18.2-30 et seq.) or Chapter 5 (\u00a7 18.2-77 et seq.); or (iii) without just cause and with intent to interfere with the operations of any law-enforcement official, to call or summon any law-enforcement official by telephone or other means, including engagement or activation of an automatic emergency alarm. Violation of the provisions of this section shall be punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor. However, if a person intentionally gives a false report as to the commission of any crime to any law-enforcement official, causes another to give a false report to any law-enforcement official, or calls or summons any law-enforcement official against another person because of his race, religious conviction, gender, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, color, or national origin, the person is guilty of a Class 6 felony.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1307406,"text":"It shall be unlawful for any person (i) to knowingly give a false report as to the commission of any crime to any law-enforcement official with intent to mislead; (ii) to knowingly, with the intent to mislead a law-enforcement agency, cause another to give a false report to any law-enforcement official by publicly simulating a violation of Chapter 4 (\u00a7 18.2-30 et seq.) or Chapter 5 (\u00a7 18.2-77 et seq.); or (iii) without just cause and with intent to interfere with the operations of any law-enforcement official, to call or summon any law-enforcement official by telephone or other means, including engagement or activation of an automatic emergency alarm. Violation of the provisions of this section shall be punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor. However, if a person intentionally gives a false report as to the commission of any crime to any law-enforcement official, causes another to give a false report to any law-enforcement official, or calls or summons any law-enforcement official against another person because of his race, religious conviction, gender, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, color, or national origin, the person is guilty of a Class 6 felony.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":50205,"edition_id":2,"name":"Interference With Administration of Justice","identifier":"6","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":6,"parent_id":50197,"metadata":{"child_laws":20,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:24:34","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:28","permalink":{"id":1391351,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50205,"identifier":"6","token":"18.2\/10\/6","url":"\/18.2\/10\/6\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50197,"edition_id":2,"name":"Crimes Against the Administration of Justice","identifier":"10","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":10,"parent_id":50131,"metadata":{"child_laws":65,"child_structures":7},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:24:29","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:26","permalink":{"id":1391223,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50197,"identifier":"10","token":"18.2\/10","url":"\/18.2\/10\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50131,"edition_id":2,"name":"Crimes and Offenses Generally","identifier":"18.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":52,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":960,"child_structures":94},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:22:59","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:15","permalink":{"id":1391141,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50131,"identifier":"18.2","token":"18.2","url":"\/18.2\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":351003,"structure_id":50205,"section_number":"18.2-460","catch_line":"Obstructing justice; resisting arrest; fleeing from a law-enforcement officer; penalties","url":"\/18.2-460\/","token":"18.2\/10\/6\/18.2-460","metadata":false},{"id":351002,"structure_id":50205,"section_number":"18.2-460.1","catch_line":"Unlawful disclosure of existence of order authorizing wire or oral interception of communication","url":"\/18.2-460.1\/","token":"18.2\/10\/6\/18.2-460.1","metadata":false},{"id":351005,"structure_id":50205,"section_number":"18.2-461","catch_line":"Falsely summoning or giving false reports to law-enforcement officials","url":"\/18.2-461\/","token":"18.2\/10\/6\/18.2-461","metadata":false},{"id":351004,"structure_id":50205,"section_number":"18.2-461.1","catch_line":"False emergency communication to emergency personnel; penalties","url":"\/18.2-461.1\/","token":"18.2\/10\/6\/18.2-461.1","metadata":false},{"id":351007,"structure_id":50205,"section_number":"18.2-462","catch_line":"Concealing or compounding offenses; penalties","url":"\/18.2-462\/","token":"18.2\/10\/6\/18.2-462","metadata":false},{"id":351006,"structure_id":50205,"section_number":"18.2-462.1","catch_line":"Use of police radio during commission of crime","url":"\/18.2-462.1\/","token":"18.2\/10\/6\/18.2-462.1","metadata":false},{"id":351008,"structure_id":50205,"section_number":"18.2-463","catch_line":"Refusal to aid officer in execution of his office","url":"\/18.2-463\/","token":"18.2\/10\/6\/18.2-463","metadata":false},{"id":351009,"structure_id":50205,"section_number":"18.2-464","catch_line":"Failure to obey order of conservator of the peace","url":"\/18.2-464\/","token":"18.2\/10\/6\/18.2-464","metadata":false},{"id":351012,"structure_id":50205,"section_number":"18.2-465","catch_line":"Officer summoning juror to act impartially","url":"\/18.2-465\/","token":"18.2\/10\/6\/18.2-465","metadata":false},{"id":351010,"structure_id":50205,"section_number":"18.2-465.1","catch_line":"Penalizing employee for court appearance or service on jury panel","url":"\/18.2-465.1\/","token":"18.2\/10\/6\/18.2-465.1","metadata":{"court_decisions":{"0":{"name":"Oakley v. May Department Stores Co.","case_number":"2:98cv600","citation":"17 F. Supp. 2d 533","date":"1998-09-25","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/2488707\/oakley-v-may-department-stores-co\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. 17 F.Supp.2d 533 (1998) .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"District Court, E.D. Virginia"},"1":{"name":"White v. Federal Express Corp.","case_number":"Civ. A. 89-1094-A to 89-1096-A","citation":"729 F. Supp. 1536","date":"1990-01-30","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/1492796\/white-v-federal-express-corp\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. 729 F.Supp. 1536 (1990) .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"District Court, E.D. Virginia"}}}},{"id":351011,"structure_id":50205,"section_number":"18.2-465.2","catch_line":"Contact with jurors after trial prohibited; penalty","url":"\/18.2-465.2\/","token":"18.2\/10\/6\/18.2-465.2","metadata":false},{"id":351013,"structure_id":50205,"section_number":"18.2-466","catch_line":"Corruptly procuring juror to be summoned","url":"\/18.2-466\/","token":"18.2\/10\/6\/18.2-466","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":351014,"structure_id":50205,"section_number":"18.2-467","catch_line":"Fraud in drawing jurors, etc","url":"\/18.2-467\/","token":"18.2\/10\/6\/18.2-467","metadata":false},{"id":351015,"structure_id":50205,"section_number":"18.2-468","catch_line":"Making sound recordings of jury deliberations","url":"\/18.2-468\/","token":"18.2\/10\/6\/18.2-468","metadata":false},{"id":351016,"structure_id":50205,"section_number":"18.2-469","catch_line":"Officer refusing, delaying, etc., to execute process for criminal","url":"\/18.2-469\/","token":"18.2\/10\/6\/18.2-469","metadata":false},{"id":351018,"structure_id":50205,"section_number":"18.2-470","catch_line":"Extortion by officer","url":"\/18.2-470\/","token":"18.2\/10\/6\/18.2-470","metadata":false},{"id":351020,"structure_id":50205,"section_number":"18.2-471","catch_line":"Fraudulent issue of fee bills","url":"\/18.2-471\/","token":"18.2\/10\/6\/18.2-471","metadata":false},{"id":351019,"structure_id":50205,"section_number":"18.2-471.1","catch_line":"Destruction of human biological evidence; penalty","url":"\/18.2-471.1\/","token":"18.2\/10\/6\/18.2-471.1","metadata":false},{"id":351022,"structure_id":50205,"section_number":"18.2-472","catch_line":"False entries or destruction of records by officers","url":"\/18.2-472\/","token":"18.2\/10\/6\/18.2-472","metadata":false},{"id":351021,"structure_id":50205,"section_number":"18.2-472.1","catch_line":"Providing false information or failing to provide registration information; penalty; prima facie evidence","url":"\/18.2-472.1\/","token":"18.2\/10\/6\/18.2-472.1","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":351002,"structure_id":50205,"section_number":"18.2-460.1","catch_line":"Unlawful disclosure of existence of order authorizing wire or oral interception of communication","url":"\/18.2-460.1\/","token":"18.2\/10\/6\/18.2-460.1","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":351004,"structure_id":50205,"section_number":"18.2-461.1","catch_line":"False emergency communication to emergency personnel; penalties","url":"\/18.2-461.1\/","token":"18.2\/10\/6\/18.2-461.1","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/18.2-461\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 4 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 1960, chapter 358; in 1975, chapters 14 and 15; in 1996, chapters 753<\/a> and 815<\/a>; in 2019, chapters 471<\/a> and 498<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":350658,"section_number":"18.2-287.5","catch_line":"Reporting lost or stolen firearms; civil penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-287.5\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":350675,"section_number":"18.2-30","catch_line":"Murder and manslaughter declared felonies","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-30\/"},{"id":351178,"section_number":"18.2-77","catch_line":"Burning or destroying dwelling house, etc","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-77\/"}],"permalink":{"id":1391361,"object_type":"law","relational_id":351005,"identifier":"18.2-461","token":"18.2\/10\/6\/18.2-461","url":"\/18.2-461\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/18.2-461\/","token":"18.2\/10\/6\/18.2-461","dublin_core":{"Title":"Falsely summoning or giving false reports to law-enforcement officials","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 18.2-461","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

It shall be unlawful for any person (i) to knowingly give a false report as to the commission of any crime<\/span> to any law<\/span>-enforcement official with intent<\/span> to mislead; (ii) to knowingly, with the intent<\/span> to mislead a law<\/span>-enforcement agency, cause another to give a false report to any law<\/span>-enforcement official by publicly simulating a violation of Chapter 4 (\u00a7 18.2-30<\/a> et seq.) or Chapter 5 (\u00a7 18.2-77<\/a> et seq.); or (iii) without just cause and with intent<\/span> to interfere with the operations of any law<\/span>-enforcement official, to call or summon any law<\/span>-enforcement official by telephone or other means, including engagement or activation of an automatic emergency alarm. Violation of the provisions of this section shall be punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor<\/span>. However, if a person intentionally gives a false report as to the commission of any crime<\/span> to any law<\/span>-enforcement official, causes another to give a false report to any law<\/span>-enforcement official, or calls or summons<\/span> any law<\/span>-enforcement official against another person because of his race, religious conviction<\/span>, gender, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, color, or national origin, the person is guilty of a Class 6 felony<\/span>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nFALSELY SUMMONING OR GIVING FALSE REPORTS TO LAW-ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS (\u00a7\n18.2-461)\n\nIt shall be unlawful for any person (i) to knowingly give a false report as to\nthe commission of any crime to any law-enforcement official with intent to\nmislead; (ii) to knowingly, with the intent to mislead a law-enforcement agency,\ncause another to give a false report to any law-enforcement official by publicly\nsimulating a violation of Chapter 4 (\u00a7 18.2-30 et seq.) or Chapter 5 (\u00a7\n18.2-77 et seq.); or (iii) without just cause and with intent to interfere with\nthe operations of any law-enforcement official, to call or summon any\nlaw-enforcement official by telephone or other means, including engagement or\nactivation of an automatic emergency alarm. Violation of the provisions of this\nsection shall be punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor. However, if a person\nintentionally gives a false report as to the commission of any crime to any\nlaw-enforcement official, causes another to give a false report to any\nlaw-enforcement official, or calls or summons any law-enforcement official\nagainst another person because of his race, religious conviction, gender,\ndisability, gender identity, sexual orientation, color, or national origin, the\nperson is guilty of a Class 6 felony.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 18.1-401; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1996, cc. 753,\n815; 2019, cc. 471, 498; 2020, Sp. Sess. I, c. 22.","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"}}