<?xml version="1.0"?>
<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>353703</law_id><section_number>20-78</section_number><catch_line>Continuance of failure to support after completion of sentence</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="56" identifier="20">Domestic Relations</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="7" identifier="5">Desertion and Nonsupport</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Any person sentenced under &#xA7;&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Probation on order directing defendant to pay and enter recognizance" href="/20-72/">20-72</a> to <a class="law" title="Effect of divorce proceedings" href="/20-79/">20-79</a> who, after the completion of such sentence, shall continue in his or her failure, without just cause, adequately to support his or her spouse or children, as the case may be, may again be sentenced on the original <span class="dictionary">petition</span>, as for a new <span class="dictionary">offense</span>, in the same manner and under like conditions as herein provided, and so on from time to time, as often as such failure or failures shall occur.</p></section></text><history>Code 1919, &#xA7; 1939; 1932, p. 467; 1940, p. 478; 1974, c. 464.</history><metadata><court_decisions><item key="0"><name>Lisa J. Wills v. W. Neil Wills</name><case_number>0144204</case_number><citation></citation><date>2021-02-09</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/4854921/lisa-j-wills-v-w-neil-wills/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. COURT OF APPEALS OF VIRGINIA .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Court of Appeals">COA</abbr></court_html></item><item key="1"><name>Vinnedge v. Gibbs</name><case_number>77-2248</case_number><citation>571 F.2d 579</citation><date>1978-03-20</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/353542/vinnedge-v-gibbs/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. 571 F.2d 579 .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html>Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit</court_html></item><item key="2"><name>Wills v. Wills (ORDER)</name><case_number>210318</case_number><citation></citation><date>2022-04-07</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/6459328/wills-v-wills-order/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. VIRGINIA: .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Supreme Court of Virginia">SCV</abbr></court_html></item><item key="3"><name>W. Neil Wills v. Lisa J. Wills</name><case_number>0117204</case_number><citation></citation><date>2021-02-09</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/4854919/w-neil-wills-v-lisa-j-wills/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. COURT OF APPEALS OF VIRGINIA .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Court of Appeals">COA</abbr></court_html></item><item key="4"><name>Arthur G. Kahn v. Eileen McNicholas</name><case_number>0982164</case_number><citation>67 Va. App. 215</citation><date>2017-01-31</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/4343925/arthur-g-kahn-v-eileen-mcnicholas/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. *220 .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Court of Appeals">COA</abbr></court_html></item><item key="5"><name>Chattin v. Chattin</name><case_number>Record 920653</case_number><citation>427 S.E.2d 347</citation><date>1993-02-26</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1262965/chattin-v-chattin/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. 427 S.E.2d 347 (1993) .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Supreme Court of Virginia">SCV</abbr></court_html></item><item key="6"><name>Butler v. Butler</name><case_number>Record 790350</case_number><citation>277 S.E.2d 180</citation><date>1981-04-24</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1309919/butler-v-butler/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. 277 S.E.2d 180 (1981) .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Supreme Court of Virginia">SCV</abbr></court_html></item><item key="7"><name>Gregory Warren Beaver v. J.D. Netherland, Warden</name><case_number>95-4003</case_number><citation>101 F.3d 977</citation><date>1996-11-12</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/730846/gregory-warren-beaver-v-jd-netherland-warden/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. *978AMENDED ORDER .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html>Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit</court_html></item><item key="8"><name>Ford v. Purvis</name><case_number>78-6321</case_number><citation>584 F.2d 976</citation><date>1978-09-20</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/360041/ford-v-purvis/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. 584 F.2d 976 .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html>Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit</court_html></item><item key="9"><name>Cogdell, in Re</name><case_number>78-6586</case_number><citation>588 F.2d 1347</citation><date>1978-12-20</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/361969/cogdell-in-re/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. 588 F.2d 1347 .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html>Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit</court_html></item></court_decisions></metadata></law>
