{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/19.2-251.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/19.2-251.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/19.2-251.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/19.2-251.html"}],"law_id":351493,"edition_id":2,"section_id":351493,"structure_id":50269,"section_number":"19.2-251","catch_line":"When and how venue may be changed","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 19.1-224; 1960, c. 366; 1975, c. 495.","full_text":"A circuit court may, on motion of the accused or of the Commonwealth, for good cause, order the venue for the trial of a criminal case in such court to be changed to some other circuit court. Such motion when made by the accused may be made in his absence upon a petition signed and sworn to by him.\n\nWhenever the mayor of any city, or the sheriff of any county, shall call on the Governor for military force to protect the accused from violence, the judge of the circuit court of the city or county having jurisdiction of the offense shall, upon a petition signed and sworn to by the accused, whether he be present or not, at once order the venue to be changed to the circuit court of a city or county sufficiently remote from the place where the offense was committed to insure the safe and impartial trial of the accused.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1308663,"text":"A circuit court may, on motion of the accused or of the Commonwealth, for good cause, order the venue for the trial of a criminal case in such court to be changed to some other circuit court. Such motion when made by the accused may be made in his absence upon a petition signed and sworn to by him.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":""},"1":{"id":1308664,"text":"Whenever the mayor of any city, or the sheriff of any county, shall call on the Governor for military force to protect the accused from violence, the judge of the circuit court of the city or county having jurisdiction of the offense shall, upon a petition signed and sworn to by the accused, whether he be present or not, at once order the venue to be changed to the circuit court of a city or county sufficiently remote from the place where the offense was committed to insure the safe and impartial trial of the accused.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"prior_prefix":""}},"ancestry":[{"id":50269,"edition_id":2,"name":"Venue","identifier":"2","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":3,"parent_id":50266,"metadata":{"child_laws":15,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:25:43","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:44","permalink":{"id":1396001,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50269,"identifier":"2","token":"19.2\/15\/2","url":"\/19.2\/15\/2\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50266,"edition_id":2,"name":"Trial and Its Incidents","identifier":"15","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":19,"parent_id":50226,"metadata":{"child_laws":55,"child_structures":7},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:25:42","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:43","permalink":{"id":1395977,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50266,"identifier":"15","token":"19.2\/15","url":"\/19.2\/15\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50226,"edition_id":2,"name":"Criminal Procedure","identifier":"19.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":54,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":771,"child_structures":99},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:25:04","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:30","permalink":{"id":1395171,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50226,"identifier":"19.2","token":"19.2","url":"\/19.2\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":351480,"structure_id":50269,"section_number":"19.2-244","catch_line":"Venue in general","url":"\/19.2-244\/","token":"19.2\/15\/2\/19.2-244","metadata":false},{"id":351484,"structure_id":50269,"section_number":"19.2-245","catch_line":"Offenses committed without and made punishable within Commonwealth; embezzlement or larceny committed within Commonwealth; where prosecuted","url":"\/19.2-245\/","token":"19.2\/15\/2\/19.2-245","metadata":false},{"id":351481,"structure_id":50269,"section_number":"19.2-245.01","catch_line":"Offenses involving reports or statements concerning cigarette sales or stamping","url":"\/19.2-245.01\/","token":"19.2\/15\/2\/19.2-245.01","metadata":false},{"id":351482,"structure_id":50269,"section_number":"19.2-245.1","catch_line":"Forgery; where prosecuted","url":"\/19.2-245.1\/","token":"19.2\/15\/2\/19.2-245.1","metadata":false},{"id":351483,"structure_id":50269,"section_number":"19.2-245.2","catch_line":"Tax offenses; where prosecuted","url":"\/19.2-245.2\/","token":"19.2\/15\/2\/19.2-245.2","metadata":false},{"id":351485,"structure_id":50269,"section_number":"19.2-246","catch_line":"Injury inflicted by person within Commonwealth upon one outside Commonwealth","url":"\/19.2-246\/","token":"19.2\/15\/2\/19.2-246","metadata":false},{"id":351486,"structure_id":50269,"section_number":"19.2-247","catch_line":"Venue in certain homicide cases","url":"\/19.2-247\/","token":"19.2\/15\/2\/19.2-247","metadata":false},{"id":351487,"structure_id":50269,"section_number":"19.2-248","catch_line":"Venue when mortal wound, etc., inflicted in one county and death ensues in another","url":"\/19.2-248\/","token":"19.2\/15\/2\/19.2-248","metadata":false},{"id":351490,"structure_id":50269,"section_number":"19.2-249","catch_line":"Offenses committed on boundary of two counties, two cities, or county and city, etc.; where prosecuted","url":"\/19.2-249\/","token":"19.2\/15\/2\/19.2-249","metadata":false},{"id":351488,"structure_id":50269,"section_number":"19.2-249.1","catch_line":"Offenses committed within towns situated in two or more counties; where prosecuted","url":"\/19.2-249.1\/","token":"19.2\/15\/2\/19.2-249.1","metadata":false},{"id":351489,"structure_id":50269,"section_number":"19.2-249.2","catch_line":"Venue for prosecution of computer and other crimes","url":"\/19.2-249.2\/","token":"19.2\/15\/2\/19.2-249.2","metadata":false},{"id":351492,"structure_id":50269,"section_number":"19.2-250","catch_line":"How far jurisdiction of corporate authorities extends","url":"\/19.2-250\/","token":"19.2\/15\/2\/19.2-250","metadata":false},{"id":351493,"structure_id":50269,"section_number":"19.2-251","catch_line":"When and how venue may be changed","url":"\/19.2-251\/","token":"19.2\/15\/2\/19.2-251","metadata":false},{"id":351494,"structure_id":50269,"section_number":"19.2-252","catch_line":"Court ordering change of venue may admit accused to bail and recognize witnesses; remand of accused not admitted to bail","url":"\/19.2-252\/","token":"19.2\/15\/2\/19.2-252","metadata":false},{"id":351495,"structure_id":50269,"section_number":"19.2-253","catch_line":"Procedure upon and after change of venue","url":"\/19.2-253\/","token":"19.2\/15\/2\/19.2-253","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":351492,"structure_id":50269,"section_number":"19.2-250","catch_line":"How far jurisdiction of corporate authorities extends","url":"\/19.2-250\/","token":"19.2\/15\/2\/19.2-250","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":351494,"structure_id":50269,"section_number":"19.2-252","catch_line":"Court ordering change of venue may admit accused to bail and recognize witnesses; remand of accused not admitted to bail","url":"\/19.2-252\/","token":"19.2\/15\/2\/19.2-252","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/19.2-251\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\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 1960, chapter 366; in 1975, chapter 495.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1396051,"object_type":"law","relational_id":351493,"identifier":"19.2-251","token":"19.2\/15\/2\/19.2-251","url":"\/19.2-251\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/19.2-251\/","token":"19.2\/15\/2\/19.2-251","dublin_core":{"Title":"When and how venue may be changed","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 19.2-251","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A circuit<\/span> court<\/span> may, on motion<\/span> of the accused<\/span> or of the Commonwealth, for good cause, order<\/span> the venue<\/span> for the trial<\/span> of a criminal case in such court<\/span> to be changed to some other circuit<\/span> court<\/span>. Such motion<\/span> when made by the accused<\/span> may be made in his absence upon a petition<\/span> signed and sworn to by him.<\/p>

Whenever the mayor of any city, or the sheriff of any county, shall call on the Governor for military force to protect the accused<\/span> from violence, the judge<\/span> of the circuit<\/span> court<\/span> of the city or county having jurisdiction<\/span> of the offense<\/span> shall, upon a petition<\/span> signed and sworn to by the accused<\/span>, whether he be present or not, at once order<\/span> the venue<\/span> to be changed to the circuit<\/span> court<\/span> of a city or county sufficiently remote from the place where the offense<\/span> was committed to insure the safe and impartial trial<\/span> of the accused<\/span>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nWHEN AND HOW VENUE MAY BE CHANGED (\u00a7 19.2-251)\n\nA circuit court may, on motion of the accused or of the Commonwealth, for good\ncause, order the venue for the trial of a criminal case in such court to be\nchanged to some other circuit court. Such motion when made by the accused may be\nmade in his absence upon a petition signed and sworn to by him.\n\nWhenever the mayor of any city, or the sheriff of any county, shall call on the\nGovernor for military force to protect the accused from violence, the judge of\nthe circuit court of the city or county having jurisdiction of the offense\nshall, upon a petition signed and sworn to by the accused, whether he be present\nor not, at once order the venue to be changed to the circuit court of a city or\ncounty sufficiently remote from the place where the offense was committed to\ninsure the safe and impartial trial of the accused.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 19.1-224; 1960, c. 366; 1975, c. 495.","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"}}