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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>367767</law_id><section_number>53.1-40</section_number><catch_line>Appointment of counsel for indigent prisoners</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="117" identifier="53.1">Prisons and Other Methods of Correction</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="2" identifier="2">State Correctional Facilities</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="2" identifier="2">Treatment and Privileges of Prisoners</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>The <span class="dictionary">judge</span> of a <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> in whose county or city a <span class="dictionary">state correctional facility</span> is located shall, on <span class="dictionary">motion</span> of the attorney for the Commonwealth for such county or city, when he is requested so to do by the superintendent or warden of a <span class="dictionary">state correctional facility</span>, appoint, for a period of no less than thirty days nor more than one year, one or more discreet and competent attorneys-at-<span class="dictionary">law</span> to <span class="dictionary">counsel</span> and assist <span class="dictionary">indigent</span> prisoners therein confined regarding any legal matter relating to their incarceration.</p><p>An attorney so appointed shall be paid as directed by the <span class="dictionary">court</span> from the criminal fund reasonable compensation on an hourly basis and necessary expenses based upon monthly reports to be furnished the <span class="dictionary">court</span> by him.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 53-21.2; 1972, c. 773; 1979, c. 700; 1982, c. 636; 1997, c. 207.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
