{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/18.2-477.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/18.2-477.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/18.2-477.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/18.2-477.html"}],"law_id":351033,"edition_id":2,"section_id":351033,"structure_id":50207,"section_number":"18.2-477","catch_line":"Prisoner escaping from jail; how punished","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 18.1-288; 1960, c. 358; 1962, c. 506; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1985, c. 555.","full_text":"If any person confined in jail or in custody after conviction of a criminal offense shall escape by force or violence, other than by setting fire thereto, he shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony. The term of confinement under this section shall commence from the expiration of the former sentence.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1307457,"text":"If any person confined in jail or in custody after conviction of a criminal offense shall escape by force or violence, other than by setting fire thereto, he shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony. The term of confinement under this section shall commence from the expiration of the former sentence.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":50207,"edition_id":2,"name":"Escape Of, Communications With and Deliveries to Prisoners","identifier":"7","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":7,"parent_id":50197,"metadata":{"child_laws":16,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:24:36","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:28","permalink":{"id":1391433,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50207,"identifier":"7","token":"18.2\/10\/7","url":"\/18.2\/10\/7\/","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":351025,"structure_id":50207,"section_number":"18.2-473","catch_line":"Persons aiding escape of prisoner or child","url":"\/18.2-473\/","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-473","metadata":false},{"id":351023,"structure_id":50207,"section_number":"18.2-473.1","catch_line":"Communication with prisoners or committed person; penalty","url":"\/18.2-473.1\/","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-473.1","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":351024,"structure_id":50207,"section_number":"18.2-473.2","catch_line":"Covering a security camera in a correctional facility; penalty","url":"\/18.2-473.2\/","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-473.2","metadata":false},{"id":351028,"structure_id":50207,"section_number":"18.2-474","catch_line":"Delivery of articles to prisoners or committed person","url":"\/18.2-474\/","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-474","metadata":{"court_decisions":{"0":{"name":"Logan v. Commonwealth","case_number":"2216031","citation":"600 S.E.2d 133","date":"2004-08-03","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/1063755\/logan-v-commonwealth\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. FRANK, Judge. .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"<abbr title=\"Court of Appeals\">COA<\/abbr>"},"1":{"name":"Williams v. Commonwealth","case_number":"Record No. 1484-88-3","citation":"407 S.E.2d 319","date":"1991-07-01","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/1376769\/williams-v-commonwealth\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. Opinion .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"<abbr title=\"Court of Appeals\">COA<\/abbr>"},"2":{"name":"Kionne L. Pulley s\/k\/a Kionne Lydell Pulley","case_number":"1203203","citation":null,"date":"2021-12-28","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/5312465\/kionne-l-pulley-ska-kionne-lydell-pulley\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. COURT OF APPEALS OF VIRGINIA .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"<abbr title=\"Court of Appeals\">COA<\/abbr>"},"3":{"name":"Henry v. Commonwealth","case_number":"Record No. 0081-85","citation":"342 S.E.2d 655","date":"1986-04-15","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/1391650\/henry-v-commonwealth\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. 342 S.E.2d 655 (1986) .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"<abbr title=\"Court of Appeals\">COA<\/abbr>"},"4":{"name":"Lewis v. Commonwealth","case_number":"Record No. 1000-91-2","citation":"423 S.E.2d 371","date":"1992-11-17","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/1420459\/lewis-v-commonwealth\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. 423 S.E.2d 371 (1992) .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"<abbr title=\"Court of Appeals\">COA<\/abbr>"}}}},{"id":351026,"structure_id":50207,"section_number":"18.2-474.1","catch_line":"Delivery of drugs, firearms, explosives, etc., to prisoners or committed persons","url":"\/18.2-474.1\/","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-474.1","metadata":false},{"id":351027,"structure_id":50207,"section_number":"18.2-474.2","catch_line":"Bribery in correctional facilities; penalty","url":"\/18.2-474.2\/","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-474.2","metadata":false},{"id":351029,"structure_id":50207,"section_number":"18.2-475","catch_line":"Officers, etc., voluntarily allowing person convicted, charged, or adjudicated delinquent of felony to escape; penalty","url":"\/18.2-475\/","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-475","metadata":false},{"id":351030,"structure_id":50207,"section_number":"18.2-476","catch_line":"Officers, etc., willfully and deliberately permitting person convicted of, charged with, or adjudicated delinquent of a nonfelonious offense to escape or willfully refusing to receive person; penalty","url":"\/18.2-476\/","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-476","metadata":{"court_decisions":{"0":{"name":"Gross v. Tazewell County Jail","case_number":"Civ. A. 81-0123-A, 81-0140-A, 81-0142-A, 81-0125-A, 81-0168-A, 81-0261-A and 81-0280A","citation":"533 F. Supp. 413","date":"1982-03-02","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/1507350\/gross-v-tazewell-county-jail\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. 533 F.Supp. 413 (1982) .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"District Court, W.D. Virginia"}}}},{"id":351033,"structure_id":50207,"section_number":"18.2-477","catch_line":"Prisoner escaping from jail; how punished","url":"\/18.2-477\/","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-477","metadata":false},{"id":351031,"structure_id":50207,"section_number":"18.2-477.1","catch_line":"Escapes from juvenile facility; penalty","url":"\/18.2-477.1\/","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-477.1","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":351032,"structure_id":50207,"section_number":"18.2-477.2","catch_line":"Punishment for certain offenses committed within a secure juvenile facility or detention home","url":"\/18.2-477.2\/","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-477.2","metadata":false},{"id":351034,"structure_id":50207,"section_number":"18.2-478","catch_line":"Escape from jail or custody by force or violence without setting fire to jail; penalty","url":"\/18.2-478\/","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-478","metadata":{"court_decisions":{"0":{"name":"Juan Luis Lopez v. Commonwealth of Virginia","case_number":"0266201","citation":null,"date":"2021-03-02","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/4860283\/juan-luis-lopez-v-commonwealth-of-virginia\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. COURT OF APPEALS OF VIRGINIA .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"<abbr title=\"Court of Appeals\">COA<\/abbr>"},"1":{"name":"Hall v. Com.","case_number":"100160","citation":"701 S.E.2d 68","date":"2010-11-04","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/1058129\/hall-v-com\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. 701 S.E.2d 68 (2010) .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"<abbr title=\"Supreme Court of Virginia\">SCV<\/abbr>"},"2":{"name":"Thomas v. Commonwealth","case_number":"3047081","citation":"690 S.E.2d 298","date":"2010-03-16","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/1062241\/thomas-v-commonwealth\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. 690 S.E.2d 298 (2010) .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"<abbr title=\"Court of Appeals\">COA<\/abbr>"},"3":{"name":"Hubbard v. Com.","case_number":"Record 071567.","citation":"661 S.E.2d 464","date":"2008-06-06","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/1058486\/hubbard-v-com\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. 661 S.E.2d 464 (2008) .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"<abbr title=\"Supreme Court of Virginia\">SCV<\/abbr>"},"4":{"name":"Hall v. Commonwealth","case_number":"2328083","citation":"686 S.E.2d 554","date":"2009-12-22","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/1062298\/hall-v-commonwealth\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. 686 S.E.2d 554 (2009) .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"<abbr title=\"Court of Appeals\">COA<\/abbr>"},"5":{"name":"Coles v. Commonwealth","case_number":"2053031","citation":"605 S.E.2d 784","date":"2004-12-14","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/1063646\/coles-v-commonwealth\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. 605 S.E.2d 784 (2004) .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"<abbr title=\"Court of Appeals\">COA<\/abbr>"},"6":{"name":"Henry v. Commonwealth","case_number":"0246942","citation":"462 S.E.2d 578","date":"1995-10-10","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/1068226\/henry-v-commonwealth\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. 462 S.E.2d 578 (1995) .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"<abbr title=\"Court of Appeals\">COA<\/abbr>"},"7":{"name":"Isiah David Joseph v. Commonwealth of Virginia","case_number":"1968131","citation":"64 Va. App. 332","date":"2015-02-10","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/2778120\/isiah-david-joseph-v-commonwealth-of-virginia\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. MARLA GRAFF DECKER, Judge. .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"<abbr title=\"Court of Appeals\">COA<\/abbr>"},"8":{"name":"Johnson v. Commonwealth","case_number":"0672944","citation":"462 S.E.2d 125","date":"1995-09-26","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/1068250\/johnson-v-commonwealth\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. 462 S.E.2d 125 (1995) .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"<abbr title=\"Court of Appeals\">COA<\/abbr>"},"9":{"name":"Bowling v. Commonwealth","case_number":"2592064","citation":"654 S.E.2d 354","date":"2007-12-27","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/1062896\/bowling-v-commonwealth\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. 654 S.E.2d 354 (2007) .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"<abbr title=\"Court of Appeals\">COA<\/abbr>"}}}},{"id":351036,"structure_id":50207,"section_number":"18.2-479","catch_line":"Escape without force or violence or setting fire to jail; penalties","url":"\/18.2-479\/","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-479","metadata":false},{"id":351035,"structure_id":50207,"section_number":"18.2-479.1","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/18.2-479.1\/","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-479.1","metadata":false},{"id":351040,"structure_id":50207,"section_number":"18.2-480","catch_line":"Escape, etc., by setting fire to jail","url":"\/18.2-480\/","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-480","metadata":false},{"id":351039,"structure_id":50207,"section_number":"18.2-480.1","catch_line":"Admissibility of records of Department of Corrections in escape cases","url":"\/18.2-480.1\/","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-480.1","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":351030,"structure_id":50207,"section_number":"18.2-476","catch_line":"Officers, etc., willfully and deliberately permitting person convicted of, charged with, or adjudicated delinquent of a nonfelonious offense to escape or willfully refusing to receive person; penalty","url":"\/18.2-476\/","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-476","metadata":{"court_decisions":{"0":{"name":"Gross v. Tazewell County Jail","case_number":"Civ. A. 81-0123-A, 81-0140-A, 81-0142-A, 81-0125-A, 81-0168-A, 81-0261-A and 81-0280A","citation":"533 F. Supp. 413","date":"1982-03-02","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/1507350\/gross-v-tazewell-county-jail\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. 533 F.Supp. 413 (1982) .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"District Court, W.D. Virginia"}}}},"next_section":{"id":351031,"structure_id":50207,"section_number":"18.2-477.1","catch_line":"Escapes from juvenile facility; penalty","url":"\/18.2-477.1\/","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-477.1","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/18.2-477\/","history_text":"<p>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 1962, chapter 506; in 1975, chapters 14 and 15; in 1985, chapter 555.<\/p>","references":[{"id":350225,"section_number":"17.1-805","catch_line":"Adoption of initial discretionary sentencing guideline midpoints","order_by":null,"url":"\/17.1-805\/"},{"id":351833,"section_number":"19.2-392.02","catch_line":"National criminal background checks by businesses and organizations regarding employees or volunteers providing care to children or the elderly or disabled","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-392.02\/"},{"id":367546,"section_number":"53.1-131","catch_line":"Provision for release of prisoner from confinement for employment, educational or other rehabilitative programs; escape; penalty; disposition of earnings","order_by":null,"url":"\/53.1-131\/"},{"id":367796,"section_number":"53.1-60","catch_line":"Extending limits of confinement of state prisoners for work and educational programs; disposition of wages; support of certain dependents; penalties for violations","order_by":null,"url":"\/53.1-60\/"},{"id":376727,"section_number":"66-25.1:3","catch_line":"Extending limits of confinement of state wards for work and educational programs; disposition of wages; penalties for violations","order_by":null,"url":"\/66-25.1_3\/"},{"id":376728,"section_number":"66-25.1:4","catch_line":"Work release furlough","order_by":null,"url":"\/66-25.1_4\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1391467,"object_type":"law","relational_id":351033,"identifier":"18.2-477","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-477","url":"\/18.2-477\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/18.2-477\/","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-477","dublin_core":{"Title":"Prisoner escaping from jail; how punished","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 18.2-477","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section><p>If any person confined in jail or in <span class=\"dictionary\">custody<\/span> after <span class=\"dictionary\">conviction<\/span> of a criminal <span class=\"dictionary\">offense<\/span> shall escape by force or violence, other than by setting fire thereto, he shall be guilty of a Class 6 <span class=\"dictionary\">felony<\/span>. The term of confinement under this section shall commence from the expiration of the former sentence.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":"                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPRISONER ESCAPING FROM JAIL; HOW PUNISHED (\u00a7 18.2-477)\n\nIf any person confined in jail or in custody after conviction of a criminal\noffense shall escape by force or violence, other than by setting fire thereto,\nhe shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony. The term of confinement under this\nsection shall commence from the expiration of the former sentence.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 18.1-288; 1960, c. 358; 1962, c. 506; 1975, cc. 14, 15;\n1985, c. 555.","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"}}