Title 16.1, Courts Not of Record

The commission shall keep and preserve complete records of its administrative operations and transactions, which records shall be open to inspection by the participating political subdivisions at all times. It shall make reports to such subdivisions annually, and at such other ti…

The Governor of Virginia is hereby authorized and requested to execute, on behalf of the Commonwealth of Virginia, with any other state or states legally joining therein, a compact which shall be in form substantially as follows: Article I. Purpose. The compacting states to this …

A. The Virginia Council for the Interstate Compact for Juveniles (the Council) is created as a policy council, within the meaning of § 2.2-2100, in the executive branch of state government. The Council shall consist of five members: 1. One representative of the legislative branch…

Any minor who has reached his sixteenth birthday and is residing in this Commonwealth, or any parent or guardian of such minor, may petition the juvenile and domestic relations district court for the county or city in which either the minor or his parents or guardian resides for …

If deemed appropriate the court may (i) require the local department of social services or any other agency or person to investigate the allegations in the petition and file a report of that investigation with the court, (ii) appoint counsel for the minor's parents or guardian, o…

The court may enter an order declaring the minor emancipated if, after a hearing, it is found that: (i) the minor is on active duty with any of the armed forces of the United States of America or (ii) the minor willingly lives separate and apart from his parents or guardian, with…

An order that a minor is emancipated shall have the following effects: 1. The minor may consent to medical, dental, or psychiatric care, without parental consent, knowledge, or liability; 2. The minor may enter into a binding contract or execute a will; 3. The minor may sue and b…

When entering an emancipation order under § 16.1-333, the court shall issue to the emancipated minor a copy of the order. Upon application to the Department of Motor Vehicles and submission of the copy, the Department shall issue to the minor an identification card containing the…

The provisions of this article shall be known and may be cited as "The Psychiatric Treatment of Minors Act."

When used in this article, unless the context otherwise requires: "Community services board" has the same meaning as provided in § 37.2-100. Whenever the term community services board appears, it shall include behavioral health authority, as that term is defined in § 37.2-100. "C…

The Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia shall prepare the petitions, orders, and such other legal forms as may be required in proceedings for custody, detention, and involuntary admission pursuant to this article, and shall distribute such forms to …

A. A minor may be admitted to a mental health facility for inpatient treatment only pursuant to § 16.1-338, 16.1-339, or 16.1-340.1 or in accordance with an order of involuntary commitment entered pursuant to §§ 16.1-341 through 16.1-345. The provisions of Article 12 (§ 16.1-299 …

A. The order from a commitment hearing issued pursuant to this article for involuntary admission or mandatory outpatient treatment for a minor 14 years of age or older and the certification of any minor 14 years of age or older who has been the subject of a temporary detention or…

A. A minor younger than 14 years of age may be admitted to a willing mental health facility for inpatient treatment related to mental illness, which may include substance abuse as described in § 16.1-336, upon application and with the consent of a parent. A minor 14 years of age …

A. A minor 14 years of age or older who (i) objects to admission or (ii) is incapable of making an informed decision may be admitted to a willing facility for up to 120 hours, pending the review required by subsections B and C, upon the application of a parent. If admission is so…

If a minor admitted to a mental health facility pursuant to this article was in a detention home or a shelter care facility at the time of his admission, the director of the detention home or shelter care facility or his designee shall provide, if available, the charges against t…

A. Any magistrate shall issue, upon the sworn petition of a minor's treating physician or parent or, if the parent is not available or is unable or unwilling to file a petition, by any responsible adult, including the person having custody over a minor in detention or shelter car…

A. A magistrate shall issue, upon the sworn petition of a minor's treating physician or parent or, if the parent is not available or is unable or unwilling to file a petition, by any responsible adult, including the person having custody over a minor in detention or shelter care …

A. In each case in which an employee or designee of the local community services board is required to make an evaluation of a minor pursuant to subsection B, G, or H of § 16.1-340, an employee or designee of the local community services board shall, upon being notified of the nee…

A. In specifying the primary law-enforcement agency and jurisdiction for purposes of this section, the magistrate shall specify in the temporary detention order the law-enforcement agency of the jurisdiction in which the minor resides to execute the order and, in cases in which t…

Prior to a hearing as authorized in § 16.1-341, the judge may release the minor to his parent if it appears from all evidence readily available that the minor does not meet the commitment criteria specified in § 16.1-345. The director of any facility in which the minor is detaine…

The juvenile and domestic relations district court shall require a preadmission screening report from the community services board that serves the area where the minor resides or, if impractical, where the minor is located. The report shall be prepared by an employee or designee …

A. A petition for the involuntary commitment of a minor may be filed with the juvenile and domestic relations district court serving the jurisdiction in which the minor is located by a parent or, if the parent is not available or is unable or unwilling to file a petition, by any …

A. Upon the filing of a petition for involuntary commitment, the juvenile and domestic relations district court shall direct the community services board serving the area in which the minor is located to arrange for an evaluation by a qualified evaluator, if one has not already b…

As far in advance as practicable after an attorney is appointed to represent a minor under this article, the minor's attorney shall interview the minor; the minor's parent, if available; the petitioner; and the qualified evaluator. He shall interview all other material witnesses,…

A. The court shall summon to the hearing all material witnesses requested by either the minor or the petitioner. All testimony shall be under oath. The rules of evidence shall apply. The petitioner, minor and, with leave of court for good cause shown, any other person shall be gi…

After observing the minor and considering (i) the recommendations of any treating or examining physician or psychologist licensed in Virginia, if available, (ii) any past actions of the minor, (iii) any past mental health treatment of the minor, (iv) any qualified evaluator's rep…

A. Petitions and orders for emergency custody, temporary detention, and involuntary commitment of minors pursuant to this article may be filed, issued, served, or executed by electronic means, with or without the use of two-way electronic video and audio communication, and return…

A. After observing the minor and considering (i) the recommendations of any treating or examining physician or psychologist licensed in Virginia, if available, (ii) any past actions of the minor, (iii) any past mental health treatment of the minor, (iv) any evaluation of the mino…

A. The community services board where the minor resides shall monitor the minor's compliance with the mandatory outpatient treatment plan ordered by the court pursuant to § 16.1-345.2. Monitoring compliance shall include (i) contacting the service providers to determine if the mi…

A. The juvenile and domestic relations district court judge shall hold a hearing within 15 days after receiving the motion for review of the mandatory outpatient treatment plan; however, if the fifteenth day is a Saturday, Sunday, legal holiday, or day on which the court is lawfu…

A. At any time within 30 days prior to the expiration of a mandatory outpatient treatment order, the community services board that is required to monitor the minor's compliance with the order may file with the juvenile and domestic relations district court for the jurisdiction in…

A. The minor shall have the right to appeal any final order committing the minor or ordering the minor to mandatory outpatient treatment to the circuit court in the jurisdiction where the minor was committed, hospitalized pursuant to the commitment order, or ordered to mandatory …

A. Within 10 days of commitment ordered under § 16.1-345, the director of the facility to which the minor was committed shall ensure that an individualized plan of treatment has been prepared by the provider responsible for the minor's treatment and, if applicable, has been commu…

Prior to discharge of any minor admitted to inpatient treatment, including a minor in detention or shelter care pursuant to an order of a juvenile and domestic relations district court, a discharge plan shall be formulated, provided and explained to the minor, and copies thereof …

Every qualified evaluator appointed by the court to conduct an evaluation pursuant to this article who is not regularly employed by the Commonwealth shall be compensated for fees and expenses as provided in § 37.2-804.

The chief judge of every juvenile and domestic relations district court shall establish and require that a judge be available seven days a week, 24 hours a day, for the purpose of performing the duties established by this article. Such judge shall have the authority to perform th…

"Attending physician" means the physician who has primary responsibility for the treatment and care of a qualified parent. "Designation" means a writing which (i) is voluntarily executed in conformance with the requirements of § 16.1-351 and signed by a parent and (ii) names a pe…

A. Upon petition of any person, the juvenile court of the jurisdiction in which a child resides may approve a person as standby guardian for a child of a qualified parent upon the occurrence of a specified triggering event. If requested in the petition, the court may also approve…

Upon consideration of the factors set out in § 20-124.3 and finding that (i) the child's parent is a qualified parent and (ii) appointment of a standby guardian is in the best interest of the child, the court shall appoint a proper and suitable person as standby guardian and, if …

A. A parent may execute a written designation of a standby guardian at any time. The written designation shall state: 1. The name, address and birthdate of the child affected; 2. The triggering event; and 3. The name and address of the person designated as standby guardian or alt…

A. If the triggering event was death of the qualified parent, within 90 days following the occurrence of the triggering event or, if later, commencement of the standby guardian's authority, the standby guardian shall (i) petition for appointment of a guardian for the child as oth…

A. The authority of a standby guardian approved by the court may be revoked by the qualified parent by his filing a notice of revocation with the court. The notice of revocation shall identify the standby guardian or alternate standby guardian to which the revocation will apply. …

A child's parent, stepparent, adult sibling or any adult related to the child by blood, marriage or adoption may petition the court which approved the standby guardian at any time following such approval and prior to any termination of the standby guardianship for review of wheth…

A. If, at any time after the attorney for the juvenile has been retained or appointed pursuant to a delinquency proceeding and before the end of trial, the court finds, sua sponte or upon hearing evidence or representations of counsel for the juvenile or the attorney for the Comm…

A. Upon finding pursuant to subsection F of § 16.1-356 that the juvenile is incompetent, the court shall order that the juvenile receive services to restore his competency in either a nonsecure community setting or a secure facility as defined in § 16.1-228. A copy of the order s…