Virginia statute

Va. Code Ann. § 19.2-259 — On trial for felony, accused to be present; when court may enter plea for him, and trial go on

Current through 2026 Regular Session

Part of Article 3: Arraignment; Pleas; Trial without Jury, Code of Virginia.

Full text of Va. Code Ann. § 19.2-259

Statutory text current through the 2026 Regular Session. This publication reproduces the text of the Code of Virginia from the official Virginia Law Portal API published by the Virginia General Assembly's Division of Legislative Automated Systems; it is not the official Code of Virginia.

Va. Code Ann. § 19.2-259Primary source, current through the 2026 Regular Session

A person tried for felony shall be personally present during the trial. If when arraigned he will not plead or answer and does not confess his guilt the court shall have the plea of not guilty entered and the trial shall proceed as if the accused had put in that plea. But for the purposes of this section a motion for a continuance, whether made before or after arraignment, shall not be deemed to be part of the trial.

Official sources

Official section text (law.lis.virginia.gov)

This reference is informational and is not legal advice.