{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/19.2-272.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/19.2-272.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/19.2-272.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/19.2-272.html"}],"law_id":351561,"edition_id":2,"section_id":351561,"structure_id":50279,"section_number":"19.2-272","catch_line":"Definitions","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 19.1-269; 1960, c. 366; 1975, c. 495; 1988, c. 34.","full_text":"“Witness” as used in this article shall include a person whose testimony is desired in any proceeding or investigation by a grand jury or in a criminal action, prosecution or proceeding.\n\nThe word “state” shall include any territory of the United States and the District of Columbia.\n\nThe word “summons” shall include a subpoena (both subpoena ad testificandum and subpoena duces tecum), order or other notice requiring the appearance of a witness or production of documents.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1308818,"text":"“Witness” as used in this article shall include a person whose testimony is desired in any proceeding or investigation by a grand jury or in a criminal action, prosecution or proceeding.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":""},"1":{"id":1308819,"text":"The word “state” shall include any territory of the United States and the District of Columbia.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"prior_prefix":"","next_prefix":""},"2":{"id":1308820,"text":"The word “summons” shall include a subpoena (both subpoena ad testificandum and subpoena duces tecum), order or other notice requiring the appearance of a witness or production of documents.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"prior_prefix":""}},"ancestry":[{"id":50279,"edition_id":2,"name":"Witnesses From or for Another State","identifier":"2","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":2,"parent_id":50277,"metadata":{"child_laws":11,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:25:53","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:45","permalink":{"id":1396329,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50279,"identifier":"2","token":"19.2\/16\/2","url":"\/19.2\/16\/2\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50277,"edition_id":2,"name":"Evidence and Witnesses","identifier":"16","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":20,"parent_id":50226,"metadata":{"child_laws":39,"child_structures":2},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:25:48","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:44","permalink":{"id":1396213,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50277,"identifier":"16","token":"19.2\/16","url":"\/19.2\/16\/","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":351561,"structure_id":50279,"section_number":"19.2-272","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/19.2-272\/","token":"19.2\/16\/2\/19.2-272","metadata":false},{"id":351562,"structure_id":50279,"section_number":"19.2-273","catch_line":"Certificate that witness is needed in another state; hearing","url":"\/19.2-273\/","token":"19.2\/16\/2\/19.2-273","metadata":false},{"id":351563,"structure_id":50279,"section_number":"19.2-274","catch_line":"When court to order witness to attend","url":"\/19.2-274\/","token":"19.2\/16\/2\/19.2-274","metadata":false},{"id":351564,"structure_id":50279,"section_number":"19.2-275","catch_line":"Arrest of witness","url":"\/19.2-275\/","token":"19.2\/16\/2\/19.2-275","metadata":false},{"id":351565,"structure_id":50279,"section_number":"19.2-276","catch_line":"Penalty for failure to attend and testify","url":"\/19.2-276\/","token":"19.2\/16\/2\/19.2-276","metadata":false},{"id":351566,"structure_id":50279,"section_number":"19.2-277","catch_line":"Summoning witnesses in another state to testify in this Commonwealth","url":"\/19.2-277\/","token":"19.2\/16\/2\/19.2-277","metadata":false},{"id":351567,"structure_id":50279,"section_number":"19.2-278","catch_line":"Reimbursement for daily mileage to such witnesses; issuance of warrant necessary to make tender","url":"\/19.2-278\/","token":"19.2\/16\/2\/19.2-278","metadata":false},{"id":351568,"structure_id":50279,"section_number":"19.2-279","catch_line":"Penalty for failure of such witnesses to testify","url":"\/19.2-279\/","token":"19.2\/16\/2\/19.2-279","metadata":false},{"id":351570,"structure_id":50279,"section_number":"19.2-280","catch_line":"Exemption of such witnesses from arrest or service of process","url":"\/19.2-280\/","token":"19.2\/16\/2\/19.2-280","metadata":false},{"id":351571,"structure_id":50279,"section_number":"19.2-281","catch_line":"Construction of article","url":"\/19.2-281\/","token":"19.2\/16\/2\/19.2-281","metadata":false},{"id":351572,"structure_id":50279,"section_number":"19.2-282","catch_line":"How article cited","url":"\/19.2-282\/","token":"19.2\/16\/2\/19.2-282","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":351562,"structure_id":50279,"section_number":"19.2-273","catch_line":"Certificate that witness is needed in another state; hearing","url":"\/19.2-273\/","token":"19.2\/16\/2\/19.2-273","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/19.2-272\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 3 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; in 1988, chapter 34.<\/p>","references":[{"id":351696,"section_number":"19.2-330","catch_line":"Compensation to witnesses from out of Commonwealth","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-330\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1396331,"object_type":"law","relational_id":351561,"identifier":"19.2-272","token":"19.2\/16\/2\/19.2-272","url":"\/19.2-272\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/19.2-272\/","token":"19.2\/16\/2\/19.2-272","dublin_core":{"Title":"Definitions","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 19.2-272","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

“Witness<\/span>” as used in this article shall include a person whose testimony<\/span> is desired in any proceeding or investigation by a grand jury<\/span> or in a criminal action, prosecution<\/span> or proceeding.<\/p>

The word “state<\/span>” shall include any territory of the United States<\/span> and the District of Columbia.<\/p>

The word “summons<\/span>” shall include a subpoena (both subpoena ad testificandum and subpoena duces tecum<\/span>), order<\/span> or other notice requiring the appearance<\/span> of a witness<\/span> or production of documents.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nDEFINITIONS (\u00a7 19.2-272)\n\n“Witness” as used in this article shall include a person whose\ntestimony is desired in any proceeding or investigation by a grand jury or in a\ncriminal action, prosecution or proceeding.\n\nThe word “state” shall include any territory of the United States\nand the District of Columbia.\n\nThe word “summons” shall include a subpoena (both subpoena ad\ntestificandum and subpoena duces tecum), order or other notice requiring the\nappearance of a witness or production of documents.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 19.1-269; 1960, c. 366; 1975, c. 495; 1988, c. 34.","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"}}