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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>351430</law_id><section_number>19.2-212</section_number><catch_line>Provision for court reporter; use and disposition of notes, tapes and transcriptions</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="54" identifier="19.2">Criminal Procedure</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="17" identifier="13">Grand Juries</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="3" identifier="3">Special Grand Juries</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> A <span class="dictionary">court reporter</span> shall be provided for a special <span class="dictionary">grand jury</span> to record, manually or electronically, and transcribe all oral <span class="dictionary">testimony</span> taken before a special <span class="dictionary">grand jury</span>, but such reporter shall not be present during any stage of its <span class="dictionary">deliberations</span>. The notes, tapes and transcriptions of the reporter are for the sole use of the special <span class="dictionary">grand jury</span>, and the contents thereof shall not be divulged by anyone except as hereinafter provided. After the special <span class="dictionary">grand jury</span> has completed its use of the notes, tapes and transcriptions, the <span class="dictionary">foreman</span> shall cause them to be <span class="dictionary">sealed</span>, the container dated, and delivered to the court.
			The court shall cause the <span class="dictionary">sealed</span> container to be kept safely. If any <span class="dictionary">witness</span> testifying before the special <span class="dictionary">grand jury</span> is prosecuted subsequently for <span class="dictionary">perjury</span>, the court, on <span class="dictionary">motion</span> of either the attorney for the Commonwealth or the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span>, shall permit them both to have access to the <span class="dictionary">testimony</span> given by the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> when a <span class="dictionary">witness</span> before the special <span class="dictionary">grand jury</span>, and the <span class="dictionary">testimony</span> shall be <span class="dictionary">admissible</span> in the <span class="dictionary">perjury</span> case.<br/><br/>			If no <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span> for <span class="dictionary">perjury</span> is instituted within three years from the date of the report of the special <span class="dictionary">grand jury</span>, the court shall cause the <span class="dictionary">sealed</span> container to be destroyed; however, on <span class="dictionary">motion</span> of the attorney for the Commonwealth, the court may extend the time period for destruction if the <span class="dictionary">grand jury</span> was impanelled at the request of the attorney for the Commonwealth. <a id="paragraph-1308542" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-212/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Upon <span class="dictionary">motion</span> to the presiding <span class="dictionary">judge</span>, the attorney for the Commonwealth shall be permitted to review any <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> that was presented to the special <span class="dictionary">grand jury</span>, and shall be permitted to make notes and to duplicate portions of the <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> as he deems necessary for use in a criminal investigation or proceeding. The attorney for the Commonwealth shall maintain the secrecy of all information obtained from a review or duplication of the <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> presented to the special <span class="dictionary">grand jury</span>. Upon <span class="dictionary">motion</span> to the presiding <span class="dictionary">judge</span> by a person indicted after a special <span class="dictionary">grand jury</span> investigation, similar permission to review, note or duplicate <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> shall be extended if it appears that the permission is consistent with the ends of justice and is necessary to reasonably inform such person of the nature of the <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> to be presented against him, or to adequately prepare his defense. <a id="paragraph-1308543" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-212/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1975, c. 495; 2001, c. 4; 2003, c. 96; 2008, c. 644.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
