{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/5.1-20.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/5.1-20.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/5.1-20.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/5.1-20.html"}],"law_id":366616,"edition_id":2,"section_id":366616,"structure_id":52232,"section_number":"5.1-20","catch_line":"Pilot may restrain or arrest person interfering with operation of aircraft carrying passengers for hire","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 5-14.1; 1958, c. 561, \u00a7 1; 1966, c. 576.","full_text":"The pilot of any aircraft carrying passengers for hire, or any person subject to his direction, may take such action as is reasonably necessary to restrain or arrest any person who interferes with, or threatens to interfere with, the operation of the aircraft in flight over the territory of this Commonwealth or to a destination within this Commonwealth.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1364980,"text":"The pilot of any aircraft carrying passengers for hire, or any person subject to his direction, may take such action as is reasonably necessary to restrain or arrest any person who interferes with, or threatens to interfere with, the operation of the aircraft in flight over the territory of this Commonwealth or to a destination within this Commonwealth.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":52232,"edition_id":2,"name":"Illegal Operation, Etc.; Procedure; Penalties","identifier":"2","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":2,"parent_id":52222,"metadata":{"child_laws":14,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:56:20","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:27:50","permalink":{"id":1460547,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52232,"identifier":"2","token":"5.1\/1\/2","url":"\/5.1\/1\/2\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":52222,"edition_id":2,"name":"Aircraft, Airmen and Airports Generally","identifier":"1","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":52221,"metadata":{"child_laws":78,"child_structures":3},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:56:16","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:27:49","permalink":{"id":1460303,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52222,"identifier":"1","token":"5.1\/1","url":"\/5.1\/1\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":52221,"edition_id":2,"name":"Aviation","identifier":"5.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":9,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":218,"child_structures":28},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:56:16","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:27:49","permalink":{"id":1460301,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52221,"identifier":"5.1","token":"5.1","url":"\/5.1\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":366530,"structure_id":52232,"section_number":"5.1-13","catch_line":"Operation of aircraft while under influence of intoxicating liquors or drugs; reckless operation","url":"\/5.1-13\/","token":"5.1\/1\/2\/5.1-13","metadata":false},{"id":366541,"structure_id":52232,"section_number":"5.1-14","catch_line":"Operation of unregistered aircraft","url":"\/5.1-14\/","token":"5.1\/1\/2\/5.1-14","metadata":false},{"id":366552,"structure_id":52232,"section_number":"5.1-15","catch_line":"Operation of aircraft by unlicensed persons","url":"\/5.1-15\/","token":"5.1\/1\/2\/5.1-15","metadata":{"court_decisions":{"0":{"name":"Surface, Adm'x v. Johnson, Adm'x","case_number":"Record 740507","citation":"215 Va. 777","date":"1975-04-28","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/1227775\/surface-admx-v-johnson-admx\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. Harman, J., .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"<abbr title=\"Supreme Court of Virginia\">SCV<\/abbr>"},"1":{"name":"Haley v. Virginia State Bar","case_number":"220113","citation":null,"date":"2022-08-11","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/7855894\/haley-v-virginia-state-bar\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. PRESENT: Goodwyn, C.J., Powell, Kelsey, McCullough, and Chafin, JJ., and Lemons and .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"<abbr title=\"Supreme Court of Virginia\">SCV<\/abbr>"},"2":{"name":"Haley v. Virginia State Bar","case_number":"220113","citation":null,"date":"2022-08-11","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/7857723\/haley-v-virginia-state-bar\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. PRESENT: Goodwyn, C.J., Powell, Kelsey, McCullough, and Chafin, JJ., and Lemons and .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"<abbr title=\"Supreme Court of Virginia\">SCV<\/abbr>"},"3":{"name":"Gadsby v. Grasmick","case_number":"No. 96-1292","citation":"109 F.3d 940","date":"1997-03-21","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/7042213\/gadsby-v-grasmick\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. Vacated and remanded by published opinion. Judge HAMILTON wrote the opinion, in which Judge WILLIAMS .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit"},"4":{"name":"Gadsby v. Grasmick","case_number":"96-1292","citation":"109 F.3d 940","date":"1997-03-21","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/738514\/gadsby-v-grasmick\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. 109 F.3d 940 .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit"},"5":{"name":"Green v. STATE BAR EX REL. SEVENTH DIST.","case_number":"Record 070515.; Record 070731.","citation":"652 S.E.2d 118","date":"2007-11-02","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/1058577\/green-v-state-bar-ex-rel-seventh-dist\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. 652 S.E.2d 118 (2007) .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"<abbr title=\"Supreme Court of Virginia\">SCV<\/abbr>"},"6":{"name":" .\u202f.\u202f. A.B., a Minor, by His Parent and Next Friend, D.B. D.B. v. .\u202f.\u202f. ","case_number":"03-1046","citation":"354 F.3d 315","date":"2004-01-06","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/784649\/ab-a-minor-by-his-parent-and-next-friend-db-db-v-kenneth-p\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. 354 F.3d 315 .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit"},"7":{"name":"A.B. Ex Rel. D.B. v. Lawson","case_number":"03-1046","citation":"354 F.3d 315","date":"2004-01-06","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/2967876\/ab-ex-rel-db-v-lawson\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. Reversed and remanded by published opinion. Judge GREGORY wrote the opinion, in which Judge .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit"},"8":{"name":"Catawba Indian Tribe of South Carolina v. State of S.C.","case_number":"90-2446","citation":"978 F.2d 1334","date":"1992-09-22","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/594399\/catawba-indian-tribe-of-south-carolina-v-state-of-sc\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. 978 F.2d 1334 .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit"}}}},{"id":366564,"structure_id":52232,"section_number":"5.1-16","catch_line":"Tampering with, etc., airplanes or markings of airports, landing fields or other aeronautical facilities","url":"\/5.1-16\/","token":"5.1\/1\/2\/5.1-16","metadata":false},{"id":366563,"structure_id":52232,"section_number":"5.1-16.1","catch_line":"Misuse of licensed airports","url":"\/5.1-16.1\/","token":"5.1\/1\/2\/5.1-16.1","metadata":false},{"id":366575,"structure_id":52232,"section_number":"5.1-17","catch_line":"Use of aircraft for hunting","url":"\/5.1-17\/","token":"5.1\/1\/2\/5.1-17","metadata":false},{"id":366585,"structure_id":52232,"section_number":"5.1-18","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/5.1-18\/","token":"5.1\/1\/2\/5.1-18","metadata":false},{"id":366616,"structure_id":52232,"section_number":"5.1-20","catch_line":"Pilot may restrain or arrest person interfering with operation of aircraft carrying passengers for hire","url":"\/5.1-20\/","token":"5.1\/1\/2\/5.1-20","metadata":false},{"id":366618,"structure_id":52232,"section_number":"5.1-21","catch_line":"Powers of conservator of the peace conferred upon pilot","url":"\/5.1-21\/","token":"5.1\/1\/2\/5.1-21","metadata":false},{"id":366617,"structure_id":52232,"section_number":"5.1-21.1","catch_line":"Powers of conservators of the peace conferred upon airport managers or designees","url":"\/5.1-21.1\/","token":"5.1\/1\/2\/5.1-21.1","metadata":false},{"id":366619,"structure_id":52232,"section_number":"5.1-22","catch_line":"Interference with operation of aircraft; penalties; venue","url":"\/5.1-22\/","token":"5.1\/1\/2\/5.1-22","metadata":false},{"id":366620,"structure_id":52232,"section_number":"5.1-23","catch_line":"Jurisdiction of local and State Police","url":"\/5.1-23\/","token":"5.1\/1\/2\/5.1-23","metadata":false},{"id":366621,"structure_id":52232,"section_number":"5.1-24","catch_line":"Penalties","url":"\/5.1-24\/","token":"5.1\/1\/2\/5.1-24","metadata":false},{"id":366626,"structure_id":52232,"section_number":"5.1-25","catch_line":"Operation of aircraft by nonresident","url":"\/5.1-25\/","token":"5.1\/1\/2\/5.1-25","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":366585,"structure_id":52232,"section_number":"5.1-18","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/5.1-18\/","token":"5.1\/1\/2\/5.1-18","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":366618,"structure_id":52232,"section_number":"5.1-21","catch_line":"Powers of conservator of the peace conferred upon pilot","url":"\/5.1-21\/","token":"5.1\/1\/2\/5.1-21","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/5.1-20\/","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 1958, chapter 561; in 1966, chapter 576.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1460577,"object_type":"law","relational_id":366616,"identifier":"5.1-20","token":"5.1\/1\/2\/5.1-20","url":"\/5.1-20\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/5.1-20\/","token":"5.1\/1\/2\/5.1-20","dublin_core":{"Title":"Pilot may restrain or arrest person interfering with operation of aircraft carrying passengers for hire","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 5.1-20","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section><p>The pilot of any <span class=\"dictionary\">aircraft<\/span> carrying passengers for hire, or any <span class=\"dictionary\">person<\/span> subject to his direction, may take such action as is reasonably necessary to restrain or <span class=\"dictionary\">arrest<\/span> any <span class=\"dictionary\">person<\/span> who interferes with, or threatens to interfere with, the operation of the <span class=\"dictionary\">aircraft<\/span> in flight over the territory of this Commonwealth or to a destination within this Commonwealth.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":"                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPILOT MAY RESTRAIN OR ARREST PERSON INTERFERING WITH OPERATION OF AIRCRAFT\nCARRYING PASSENGERS FOR HIRE (\u00a7 5.1-20)\n\nThe pilot of any aircraft carrying passengers for hire, or any person subject to\nhis direction, may take such action as is reasonably necessary to restrain or\narrest any person who interferes with, or threatens to interfere with, the\noperation of the aircraft in flight over the territory of this Commonwealth or\nto a destination within this Commonwealth.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 5-14.1; 1958, c. 561, \u00a7 1; 1966, c. 576.","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"}}