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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>366463</law_id><section_number>49-10</section_number><catch_line>Use of Bible in administration of oaths</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="106" identifier="49">Oaths, Affirmations and Bonds</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="1">Oaths and Affirmations</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>No officer of this Commonwealth, or any political subdivision thereof, shall, in administering an <span class="dictionary">oath</span> in pursuance of <span class="dictionary">law</span>, require or request any person taking the <span class="dictionary">oath</span> to kiss the Holy Bible, or any book or books thereof, but persons being sworn for any purpose may be required to place their hand on the Holy Bible.</p><p>Any officer violating this section shall be subject to a fine of $100.</p></section></text><history>1920, p. 54; Michie Code 1942, &#xA7; 278a.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
