{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/30-124.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/30-124.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/30-124.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/30-124.html"}],"law_id":358438,"edition_id":2,"section_id":358438,"structure_id":51262,"section_number":"30-124","catch_line":"Advisory opinions","history":"1987, Sp. Sess., c. 1, \u00a7 2.1-639.55; 2001, c. 844; 2014, cc. 792, 804; 2015, cc. 763, 777; 2017, cc. 829, 832.","full_text":"A legislator shall not be prosecuted or disciplined for a violation of this chapter if his alleged violation resulted from his good faith reliance on a written opinion of a committee on standards of conduct established pursuant to \u00a7 30-120, an opinion of the Attorney General as provided in \u00a7 30-122, or a formal opinion or written informal advice of the Council established pursuant to \u00a7 30-355, and the opinion or advice was made after his full disclosure of the facts regardless of whether such opinion or advice is later withdrawn provided the alleged violation occurred prior to the withdrawal of the opinion or advice.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1333601,"text":"A legislator shall not be prosecuted or disciplined for a violation of this chapter if his alleged violation resulted from his good faith reliance on a written opinion of a committee on standards of conduct established pursuant to \u00a7 30-120, an opinion of the Attorney General as provided in \u00a7 30-122, or a formal opinion or written informal advice of the Council established pursuant to \u00a7 30-355, and the opinion or advice was made after his full disclosure of the facts regardless of whether such opinion or advice is later withdrawn provided the alleged violation occurred prior to the withdrawal of the opinion or advice.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":51262,"edition_id":2,"name":"Disclosure Statements Required to Be Filed","identifier":"5","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":5,"parent_id":51257,"metadata":{"child_laws":24,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:39:54","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:32:01","permalink":{"id":1426427,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":51262,"identifier":"5","token":"30\/13\/5","url":"\/30\/13\/5\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":51257,"edition_id":2,"name":"General Assembly Conflicts of Interests Act","identifier":"13","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":18,"parent_id":51255,"metadata":{"child_laws":38,"child_structures":6},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:39:52","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:31:59","permalink":{"id":1426373,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":51257,"identifier":"13","token":"30\/13","url":"\/30\/13\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":51255,"edition_id":2,"name":"General Assembly","identifier":"30","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":73,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":476,"child_structures":87},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:39:52","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:31:55","permalink":{"id":1426021,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":51255,"identifier":"30","token":"30","url":"\/30\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":358418,"structure_id":51262,"section_number":"30-109","catch_line":"Application","url":"\/30-109\/","token":"30\/13\/5\/30-109","metadata":false},{"id":358421,"structure_id":51262,"section_number":"30-110","catch_line":"Disclosure","url":"\/30-110\/","token":"30\/13\/5\/30-110","metadata":false},{"id":358420,"structure_id":51262,"section_number":"30-110.1","catch_line":"Report of gifts","url":"\/30-110.1\/","token":"30\/13\/5\/30-110.1","metadata":false},{"id":358423,"structure_id":51262,"section_number":"30-111","catch_line":"Disclosure form","url":"\/30-111\/","token":"30\/13\/5\/30-111","metadata":false},{"id":358422,"structure_id":51262,"section_number":"30-111.1","catch_line":"Disclosure form; filing requirements","url":"\/30-111.1\/","token":"30\/13\/5\/30-111.1","metadata":false},{"id":358424,"structure_id":51262,"section_number":"30-112","catch_line":"Senate and House Ethics Advisory Panels; membership; terms; quorum; compensation and expenses","url":"\/30-112\/","token":"30\/13\/5\/30-112","metadata":false},{"id":358426,"structure_id":51262,"section_number":"30-113","catch_line":"Powers and duties of Panel","url":"\/30-113\/","token":"30\/13\/5\/30-113","metadata":false},{"id":358425,"structure_id":51262,"section_number":"30-113.1","catch_line":"Records","url":"\/30-113.1\/","token":"30\/13\/5\/30-113.1","metadata":false},{"id":358427,"structure_id":51262,"section_number":"30-114","catch_line":"Filing of complaints; procedures; disposition","url":"\/30-114\/","token":"30\/13\/5\/30-114","metadata":false},{"id":358428,"structure_id":51262,"section_number":"30-115","catch_line":"Subpoenas","url":"\/30-115\/","token":"30\/13\/5\/30-115","metadata":false},{"id":358429,"structure_id":51262,"section_number":"30-116","catch_line":"Disposition of cases","url":"\/30-116\/","token":"30\/13\/5\/30-116","metadata":false},{"id":358430,"structure_id":51262,"section_number":"30-117","catch_line":"Confidentiality of proceedings","url":"\/30-117\/","token":"30\/13\/5\/30-117","metadata":false},{"id":358431,"structure_id":51262,"section_number":"30-118","catch_line":"Staff for Panel","url":"\/30-118\/","token":"30\/13\/5\/30-118","metadata":false},{"id":358432,"structure_id":51262,"section_number":"30-119","catch_line":"Jurisdiction of Panel","url":"\/30-119\/","token":"30\/13\/5\/30-119","metadata":false},{"id":358434,"structure_id":51262,"section_number":"30-120","catch_line":"Senate and House Committees on Standards of Conduct","url":"\/30-120\/","token":"30\/13\/5\/30-120","metadata":false},{"id":358435,"structure_id":51262,"section_number":"30-121","catch_line":"Adoption of rules governing procedures and disciplinary sanctions","url":"\/30-121\/","token":"30\/13\/5\/30-121","metadata":false},{"id":358436,"structure_id":51262,"section_number":"30-122","catch_line":"Enforcement","url":"\/30-122\/","token":"30\/13\/5\/30-122","metadata":false},{"id":358437,"structure_id":51262,"section_number":"30-123","catch_line":"Knowing violation of chapter a misdemeanor","url":"\/30-123\/","token":"30\/13\/5\/30-123","metadata":false},{"id":358438,"structure_id":51262,"section_number":"30-124","catch_line":"Advisory opinions","url":"\/30-124\/","token":"30\/13\/5\/30-124","metadata":false},{"id":358439,"structure_id":51262,"section_number":"30-125","catch_line":"Invalidation of contract; recision of sales","url":"\/30-125\/","token":"30\/13\/5\/30-125","metadata":{"court_decisions":{"0":{"name":"Timothy Richardson v. Edward Thomas","case_number":"18-3","citation":"930 F.3d 587","date":"2019-07-12","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/4639217\/timothy-richardson-v-edward-thomas\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. TRAXLER, Senior Circuit Judge: .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit"},"1":{"name":" .\u202f.\u202f. Atlantic Purchasers, Inc., Stella Maris Inn, Ltd. v. .\u202f.\u202f. ","case_number":"82-1199(L), 82-1200, 82-1322","citation":"705 F.2d 712","date":"1983-04-14","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/417721\/atlantic-purchasers-inc-stella-maris-inn-ltd-v-aircraft-sales-inc\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. ALBERT V. BRYAN, Senior Circuit Judge, .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit"},"2":{"name":"A HELPING HAND, LLC v. Baltimore County, MD","case_number":"06-2026","citation":"515 F.3d 356","date":"2008-02-12","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/1024999\/a-helping-hand-llc-v-baltimore-county-md\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. 515 F.3d 356 (2008) .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit"},"3":{"name":"Liberty University, Inc. v. Geithner","case_number":"6:10-cv-00015-nkm","citation":"753 F. Supp. 2d 611","date":"2010-11-30","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/2476661\/liberty-university-inc-v-geithner\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. 753 F.Supp.2d 611 (2010) .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"District Court, W.D. Virginia"},"4":{"name":"BMG Rights Management (US) LLC v. Cox Communications, Inc.","case_number":"Civil No. 1:14-cv-1611","citation":"149 F. Supp. 3d 634","date":"2015-12-01","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/7317239\/bmg-rights-management-us-llc-v-cox-communications-inc\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. MEMORANDUM OPINION .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"District Court, E.D. Virginia"}}}},{"id":358440,"structure_id":51262,"section_number":"30-126","catch_line":"Civil penalty from violation of this chapter","url":"\/30-126\/","token":"30\/13\/5\/30-126","metadata":{"court_decisions":{"0":{"name":"Abdul Azim Jaghoori v. Eric Holder, Jr.","case_number":"13-1801","citation":"772 F.3d 764","date":"2014-11-18","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/2752629\/abdul-azim-jaghoori-v-eric-holder-jr\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. Petition for review granted and ease remanded by published opinion. Judge THACKER wrote the majority .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit"},"1":{"name":" .\u202f.\u202f. Snider International Corporation v. Town of Forest Heights, .\u202f.\u202f. ","case_number":"12-2490","citation":"739 F.3d 140","date":"2014-01-07","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/2648383\/snider-international-corporation-v-town-of-forest-heights-md\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. Affirmed by published opinion. Judge GREGORY wrote the opinion, in which Judge KING and Judge AGEE .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit"},"2":{"name":"Magruder v. Com.","case_number":"Record 070762.; Record 070815.; Record 070817.","citation":"657 S.E.2d 113","date":"2008-02-29","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/1058523\/magruder-v-com\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. 657 S.E.2d 113 (2008) .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"<abbr title=\"Supreme Court of Virginia\">SCV<\/abbr>"},"3":{"name":"United States v. Irek Hamidullin","case_number":"15-4788","citation":"888 F.3d 62","date":"2018-04-18","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/4487887\/united-states-v-irek-hamidullin\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. FLOYD, Circuit Judge: .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit"},"4":{"name":"William MacDonald v. Tim Moose","case_number":"11-7427","citation":"710 F.3d 154","date":"2013-03-12","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/854980\/william-macdonald-v-tim-moose\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. Reversed and remanded by published opinion. Judge KING wrote the majority opinion, in which Judge .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit"},"5":{"name":"Ostergren v. McDonnell","case_number":"Civil Action 3:08cv362","citation":"643 F. Supp. 2d 758","date":"2009-06-02","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/2577321\/ostergren-v-mcdonnell\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. 643 F.Supp.2d 758 (2009) .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"District Court, E.D. Virginia"},"6":{"name":"Richmond Medical Center for Women v. Herring","case_number":"03-1821, 04-1255","citation":"570 F.3d 165","date":"2009-06-24","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/1029238\/richmond-medical-center-for-women-v-herring\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. OPINION .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit"},"7":{"name":"United States v. Hamidullin","case_number":"Case No. 3:14CR140-HEH","citation":"114 F. Supp. 3d 365","date":"2015-07-13","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/7314324\/united-states-v-hamidullin\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. MEMORANDUM OPINION .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"District Court, E.D. Virginia"},"8":{"name":"Richmond Medical Center for Women v. Herring","case_number":"03-1821, 04-1255","citation":"527 F.3d 128","date":"2008-05-20","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/1025760\/richmond-medical-center-for-women-v-herring\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. Affirmed by published opinion. Judge MICHAEL wrote the majority opinion, in which Judge MOTZ joined. .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit"},"9":{"name":"Watkins v. Cantrell","case_number":"83-1866","citation":"736 F.2d 933","date":"1984-06-06","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/437251\/watkins-v-cantrell\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. 736 F.2d 933 .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit"}}}},{"id":358441,"structure_id":51262,"section_number":"30-127","catch_line":"Criminal prosecutions","url":"\/30-127\/","token":"30\/13\/5\/30-127","metadata":false},{"id":358442,"structure_id":51262,"section_number":"30-128","catch_line":"Limitation of actions","url":"\/30-128\/","token":"30\/13\/5\/30-128","metadata":false},{"id":358449,"structure_id":51262,"section_number":"30-129","catch_line":"Venue","url":"\/30-129\/","token":"30\/13\/5\/30-129","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":358437,"structure_id":51262,"section_number":"30-123","catch_line":"Knowing violation of chapter a misdemeanor","url":"\/30-123\/","token":"30\/13\/5\/30-123","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":358439,"structure_id":51262,"section_number":"30-125","catch_line":"Invalidation of contract; recision of sales","url":"\/30-125\/","token":"30\/13\/5\/30-125","metadata":{"court_decisions":{"0":{"name":"Timothy Richardson v. Edward Thomas","case_number":"18-3","citation":"930 F.3d 587","date":"2019-07-12","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/4639217\/timothy-richardson-v-edward-thomas\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. TRAXLER, Senior Circuit Judge: .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit"},"1":{"name":" .\u202f.\u202f. Atlantic Purchasers, Inc., Stella Maris Inn, Ltd. v. .\u202f.\u202f. ","case_number":"82-1199(L), 82-1200, 82-1322","citation":"705 F.2d 712","date":"1983-04-14","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/417721\/atlantic-purchasers-inc-stella-maris-inn-ltd-v-aircraft-sales-inc\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. ALBERT V. BRYAN, Senior Circuit Judge, .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit"},"2":{"name":"A HELPING HAND, LLC v. Baltimore County, MD","case_number":"06-2026","citation":"515 F.3d 356","date":"2008-02-12","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/1024999\/a-helping-hand-llc-v-baltimore-county-md\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. 515 F.3d 356 (2008) .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit"},"3":{"name":"Liberty University, Inc. v. Geithner","case_number":"6:10-cv-00015-nkm","citation":"753 F. Supp. 2d 611","date":"2010-11-30","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/2476661\/liberty-university-inc-v-geithner\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. 753 F.Supp.2d 611 (2010) .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"District Court, W.D. Virginia"},"4":{"name":"BMG Rights Management (US) LLC v. Cox Communications, Inc.","case_number":"Civil No. 1:14-cv-1611","citation":"149 F. Supp. 3d 634","date":"2015-12-01","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/7317239\/bmg-rights-management-us-llc-v-cox-communications-inc\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. MEMORANDUM OPINION .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"District Court, E.D. Virginia"}}}},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/30-124\/","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 2001, chapter <a href=\"https:\/\/legacylis.virginia.gov\/cgi-bin\/legp604.exe?011+ful+CHAP0844\">844<\/a>; in 2014, chapters <a href=\"https:\/\/legacylis.virginia.gov\/cgi-bin\/legp604.exe?141+ful+CHAP0792\">792<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/legacylis.virginia.gov\/cgi-bin\/legp604.exe?141+ful+CHAP0804\">804<\/a>; in 2015, chapters <a href=\"https:\/\/legacylis.virginia.gov\/cgi-bin\/legp604.exe?151+ful+CHAP0763\">763<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/legacylis.virginia.gov\/cgi-bin\/legp604.exe?151+ful+CHAP0777\">777<\/a>; in 2017, chapters <a href=\"https:\/\/legacylis.virginia.gov\/cgi-bin\/legp604.exe?171+ful+CHAP0829\">829<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/legacylis.virginia.gov\/cgi-bin\/legp604.exe?171+ful+CHAP0832\">832<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":358749,"section_number":"30-356","catch_line":"Powers and duties of the Council","order_by":null,"url":"\/30-356\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":358434,"section_number":"30-120","catch_line":"Senate and House Committees on Standards of Conduct","order_by":null,"url":"\/30-120\/"},{"id":358436,"section_number":"30-122","catch_line":"Enforcement","order_by":null,"url":"\/30-122\/"},{"id":358746,"section_number":"30-355","catch_line":"Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council; membership; terms; quorum; expenses","order_by":null,"url":"\/30-355\/"}],"permalink":{"id":1426501,"object_type":"law","relational_id":358438,"identifier":"30-124","token":"30\/13\/5\/30-124","url":"\/30-124\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/30-124\/","token":"30\/13\/5\/30-124","dublin_core":{"Title":"Advisory opinions","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 30-124","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section><p>A <span class=\"dictionary\">legislator<\/span> shall not be prosecuted or disciplined for a violation of this chapter if his alleged violation resulted from his good faith reliance on a written <span class=\"dictionary\">opinion<\/span> of a committee on standards of conduct established pursuant to \u00a7&nbsp;<a class=\"law\" title=\"Senate and House Committees on Standards of Conduct\" href=\"\/30-120\/\">30-120<\/a>, an <span class=\"dictionary\">opinion<\/span> of the <span class=\"dictionary\">Attorney General<\/span> as provided in \u00a7&nbsp;<a class=\"law\" title=\"Enforcement\" href=\"\/30-122\/\">30-122<\/a>, or a formal <span class=\"dictionary\">opinion<\/span> or written informal advice of the <span class=\"dictionary\">Council<\/span> established pursuant to \u00a7&nbsp;<a class=\"law\" title=\"Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council; membership; terms; quorum; expenses\" href=\"\/30-355\/\">30-355<\/a>, and the <span class=\"dictionary\">opinion<\/span> or advice was made after his full disclosure of the <span class=\"dictionary\">facts<\/span> regardless of whether such <span class=\"dictionary\">opinion<\/span> or advice is later withdrawn provided the alleged violation occurred prior to the withdrawal of the <span class=\"dictionary\">opinion<\/span> or advice.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":"                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nADVISORY OPINIONS (\u00a7 30-124)\n\nA legislator shall not be prosecuted or disciplined for a violation of this\nchapter if his alleged violation resulted from his good faith reliance on a\nwritten opinion of a committee on standards of conduct established pursuant to\n\u00a7 30-120, an opinion of the Attorney General as provided in \u00a7 30-122, or a\nformal opinion or written informal advice of the Council established pursuant to\n\u00a7 30-355, and the opinion or advice was made after his full disclosure of the\nfacts regardless of whether such opinion or advice is later withdrawn provided\nthe alleged violation occurred prior to the withdrawal of the opinion or advice.\n\nHISTORY: 1987, Sp. Sess., c. 1, \u00a7 2.1-639.55; 2001, c. 844; 2014, cc. 792, 804;\n2015, cc. 763, 777; 2017, cc. 829, 832.","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"}}