Virginia § 19.2-157 Duty of court when accused appears without counsel

Virginia Statutes

§ 19.2-157 — Duty of court when accused appears without counsel

Virginia § 19.2-157

Title 19.2Criminal Procedure

Ch. 10Disability of Judge or Attorney for Commonwealth; Court- Appointed Counsel; Interpreters; Transcripts

Art. 3Appointment of Attorney for Accused

This text of Virginia § 19.2-157 (Duty of court when accused appears without counsel) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Virginia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Va. Code Ann. § 19.2-157 (2026).

Text

Except as may otherwise be provided in §§ 16.1-266 through 16.1-268, whenever a person charged with a criminal offense the penalty for which may be confinement in the state correctional facility or jail, including charges for revocation of suspension of imposition or execution of sentence or probation, appears before any court without being represented by counsel, the court shall inform him of his right to counsel. The accused shall be allowed a reasonable opportunity to employ counsel or, if appropriate, the statement of indigence provided for in § 19.2-159 may be executed.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Except as may otherwise be provided in §§ 16.1-266 through 16.1-268, whenever a person charged with a criminal offense the penalty for which may be confinement in the state correctional facility or jail, including charges for revocation of suspension of imposition or execution of sentence or probation, appears before any court without being represented by counsel, the court shall inform him of his right to counsel. The accused shall be allowed a reasonable opportunity to employ counsel or, if appropriate, the statement of indigence provided for in § 19.2-159 may be executed.