{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/3.2-4311.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/3.2-4311.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/3.2-4311.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/3.2-4311.html"}],"law_id":357749,"edition_id":2,"section_id":357749,"structure_id":51179,"section_number":"3.2-4311","catch_line":"Defenses to prosecution","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 3-269; 1966, c. 702, \u00a7 3.1-348; 2008, c. 860.","full_text":"No person shall be convicted under the provisions of this article if:\n\n1\n\nThe person is not a party to the packing, grading, or marking of such product; or\n\n2\n\nThe agricultural product has passed inspection by an authorized inspector in the voluntary inspection service of the Department, or the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and found to be marked in accordance with the requirements of this article.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1331428,"text":"No person shall be convicted under the provisions of this article if:","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":"1"},"1":{"id":1331429,"text":"The person is not a party to the packing, grading, or marking of such product; or","type":"section","prefixes":["1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"1","prefix_anchor":"1","level":1,"prior_prefix":"","next_prefix":"2"},"2":{"id":1331430,"text":"The agricultural product has passed inspection by an authorized inspector in the voluntary inspection service of the Department, or the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and found to be marked in accordance with the requirements of this article.","type":"section","prefixes":["2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"2","prefix_anchor":"2","level":1,"prior_prefix":"1"}},"ancestry":[{"id":51179,"edition_id":2,"name":"General Provisions","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":51178,"metadata":{"child_laws":12,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:38:33","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:27:37","permalink":{"id":1423371,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":51179,"identifier":"1","token":"3.2\/III\/43\/1","url":"\/3.2\/III\/43\/1\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":51178,"edition_id":2,"name":"Grades, Marks, and Brands","identifier":"43","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":7,"parent_id":51149,"metadata":{"child_laws":28,"child_structures":3},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:38:33","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:27:36","permalink":{"id":1423369,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":51178,"identifier":"43","token":"3.2\/III\/43","url":"\/3.2\/III\/43\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":51149,"edition_id":2,"name":"Production and Sale of Agricultural Products","identifier":"III","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":4,"parent_id":51103,"metadata":{"child_laws":398,"child_structures":44},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:38:09","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:27:34","permalink":{"id":1422445,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":51149,"identifier":"III","token":"3.2\/III","url":"\/3.2\/III\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":51103,"edition_id":2,"name":"Agriculture, Animal Care, and Food","identifier":"3.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":5,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":1194,"child_structures":151},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:37:33","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:27:27","permalink":{"id":1420941,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":51103,"identifier":"3.2","token":"3.2","url":"\/3.2\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":357738,"structure_id":51179,"section_number":"3.2-4300","catch_line":"Definition","url":"\/3.2-4300\/","token":"3.2\/III\/43\/1\/3.2-4300","metadata":false},{"id":357739,"structure_id":51179,"section_number":"3.2-4301","catch_line":"Unmarked products","url":"\/3.2-4301\/","token":"3.2\/III\/43\/1\/3.2-4301","metadata":false},{"id":357740,"structure_id":51179,"section_number":"3.2-4302","catch_line":"Establishment of grades, marks, and brands","url":"\/3.2-4302\/","token":"3.2\/III\/43\/1\/3.2-4302","metadata":false},{"id":357741,"structure_id":51179,"section_number":"3.2-4303","catch_line":"Grades recommended by U.S. Department of Agriculture","url":"\/3.2-4303\/","token":"3.2\/III\/43\/1\/3.2-4303","metadata":false},{"id":357742,"structure_id":51179,"section_number":"3.2-4304","catch_line":"When special grades, marks, and brands allowed; filing a certificate","url":"\/3.2-4304\/","token":"3.2\/III\/43\/1\/3.2-4304","metadata":false},{"id":357743,"structure_id":51179,"section_number":"3.2-4305","catch_line":"Unclassified products","url":"\/3.2-4305\/","token":"3.2\/III\/43\/1\/3.2-4305","metadata":false},{"id":357744,"structure_id":51179,"section_number":"3.2-4306","catch_line":"Enforcement powers of Commissioner","url":"\/3.2-4306\/","token":"3.2\/III\/43\/1\/3.2-4306","metadata":false},{"id":357745,"structure_id":51179,"section_number":"3.2-4307","catch_line":"When products considered as offered for sale","url":"\/3.2-4307\/","token":"3.2\/III\/43\/1\/3.2-4307","metadata":false},{"id":357746,"structure_id":51179,"section_number":"3.2-4308","catch_line":"Grades and brands shall be used in accordance with regulations","url":"\/3.2-4308\/","token":"3.2\/III\/43\/1\/3.2-4308","metadata":false},{"id":357747,"structure_id":51179,"section_number":"3.2-4309","catch_line":"Unlawful removal of markings","url":"\/3.2-4309\/","token":"3.2\/III\/43\/1\/3.2-4309","metadata":false},{"id":357748,"structure_id":51179,"section_number":"3.2-4310","catch_line":"Penalty for violation","url":"\/3.2-4310\/","token":"3.2\/III\/43\/1\/3.2-4310","metadata":false},{"id":357749,"structure_id":51179,"section_number":"3.2-4311","catch_line":"Defenses to prosecution","url":"\/3.2-4311\/","token":"3.2\/III\/43\/1\/3.2-4311","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":357748,"structure_id":51179,"section_number":"3.2-4310","catch_line":"Penalty for violation","url":"\/3.2-4310\/","token":"3.2\/III\/43\/1\/3.2-4310","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/3.2-4311\/","history_text":"<p>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 1966, chapter 702; in 2008, chapter <a href=\"https:\/\/legacylis.virginia.gov\/cgi-bin\/legp604.exe?081+ful+CHAP0860\">860<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1423417,"object_type":"law","relational_id":357749,"identifier":"3.2-4311","token":"3.2\/III\/43\/1\/3.2-4311","url":"\/3.2-4311\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/3.2-4311\/","token":"3.2\/III\/43\/1\/3.2-4311","dublin_core":{"Title":"Defenses to prosecution","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 3.2-4311","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section><p>No person shall be convicted under the provisions of this article if:<\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section id=\"1\"><p><span class=\"prefix-number\">1.<\/span> The person is not a <span class=\"dictionary\">party<\/span> to the packing, grading, or marking of such product; or <a id=\"paragraph-1331429\" class=\"section-permalink\" href=\"https:\/\/vacode.org\/3.2-4311\/#1\"><i class=\"fa fa-link\"><\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section id=\"2\"><p><span class=\"prefix-number\">2.<\/span> The agricultural product has passed inspection by an authorized inspector in the voluntary inspection service of the <span class=\"dictionary\">Department<\/span>, or the U.S. <span class=\"dictionary\">Department<\/span> of Agriculture, and found to be marked in accordance with the requirements of this article. <a id=\"paragraph-1331430\" class=\"section-permalink\" href=\"https:\/\/vacode.org\/3.2-4311\/#2\"><i class=\"fa fa-link\"><\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":"                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nDEFENSES TO PROSECUTION (\u00a7 3.2-4311)\n\nNo person shall be convicted under the provisions of this article if:\n\n1. The person is not a party to the packing, grading, or marking of such\nproduct; or\n\n2. The agricultural product has passed inspection by an authorized inspector in\nthe voluntary inspection service of the Department, or the U.S. Department of\nAgriculture, and found to be marked in accordance with the requirements of this\narticle.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 3-269; 1966, c. 702, \u00a7 3.1-348; 2008, c. 860.","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"}}