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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>348165</law_id><section_number>15.2-3004</section_number><catch_line>Vacancies on court occurring during trial</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><referred_to_by><reference>15.2-3217</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="46" identifier="15.2">Counties, Cities and Towns</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="3" identifier="III">Boundary Adjustments and Changes of Status of Counties, Cities and Towns</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="2" identifier="30">Special Courts</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>If a vacancy occurs on such <span class="dictionary">court</span> at any time prior to the final <span class="dictionary">disposition</span> of the case and the completion of all duties required to be performed by it, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall not be dissolved and the proceeding shall not fail; the vacancy shall be filled by designation of another <span class="dictionary">judge</span> from the <span class="dictionary">panel</span> provided for in this chapter. Such substitute <span class="dictionary">judge</span> shall have all the power and authority of his predecessor, and the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall proceed as so constituted to hear and determine the case and do all things necessary to accomplish its final <span class="dictionary">disposition</span> and the completion of all the duties of the <span class="dictionary">court</span>, including such matters as the certification of <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> and exceptions. No decision shall be rendered or action taken after such designation with respect to any question previously submitted to but not decided by the <span class="dictionary">court</span> except after a full <span class="dictionary">hearing</span> in open <span class="dictionary">court</span> by the <span class="dictionary">court</span> as reconstituted of all the <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> theretofore introduced before the <span class="dictionary">court</span> and a <span class="dictionary">hearing</span> of all arguments theretofore made with reference to such question.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 15-152.9; 1952, c. 328; 1960, c. 474; 1962, c. 623, &#xA7; 15.1-1039; 1979, c. 85; 1997, c. 587.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
