                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

DEFINITIONS; CONSTRUCTION OF REFERENCES TO PERIOD OF YEARS (§ 16.1-69.53)

As used in this article, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

&#8220;Court records&#8221; shall include case records, financial records and
administrative records as defined in this section.

&#8220;Case records&#8221; shall mean all documents, dockets and indices.

&#8220;Documents&#8221; shall mean all motions for judgment, bills of complaint,
answers, bills of particulars, other pleadings, interrogatories, motions in
writing, warrants, summonses, petitions, proof of service, witness summonses and
subpoenas, documents received in evidence, transcripts, orders, judgments,
writs, and any other similar case-related records and papers in the possession
of the district courts and filed with the pleadings in the case.

&#8220;Financial records&#8221; shall mean all papers and records related to the
receipt and disbursement of money by the district court.

&#8220;Administrative records&#8221; shall mean all other court papers and
records not otherwise defined.

Whenever a reference to a period of years for the retention of documents is made
in this section, it shall be construed to commence on January 2 of the first
year following (i) the final adjudication of a civil case or (ii) the final
disposition in all other cases, unless otherwise specified herein. In foster
care cases, the final disposition date is the date of transfer of custody to a
local board of social services or a child welfare agency.

HISTORY: 1983, c. 499; 2002, c. 747.