Title 18.2, Title 18.2. Crimes and Offenses Generally

It is hereby declared that the protection and preservation of the home is the keystone of democratic government; that the public health and welfare and the good order of the community require that members of the community enjoy in their homes a feeling of well-being, tranquility,…

Any person who shall engage in picketing before or about the residence or dwelling place of any individual, or who shall assemble with another person or persons in a manner which disrupts or threatens to disrupt any individual's right to tranquility in his home, shall be guilty o…

"Clandestine organization" means: any organization (1) which conceals, or attempts to conceal, its name, activities or membership, or the names, activities or membership of any chapter, branch, unit or affiliate thereof, by the use of cover-names, codes, or any deceptive practice…

Every existing membership corporation and every existing unincorporated association which is a clandestine organization as defined in § 18.2-420, shall file with the clerk of the State Corporation Commission a sworn copy of its constitution, bylaws, rules, regulations, and oath o…

Except as otherwise provided in § 19.2-83.6:1, it is unlawful for any person over 16 years of age to, with the intent to conceal his identity, wear any mask, hood, or other device whereby a substantial portion of the face is hidden or covered so as to conceal the identity of the …

It shall be unlawful for any person or persons, with the intent of intimidating any person or group of persons, to burn, or cause to be burned, a cross on the property of another, a highway or other public place. Any person who shall violate any provision of this section shall be…

A. Any person who, with the intent of intimidating any person or group of persons, burns an object on the private property of another without permission, is guilty of a Class 6 felony. B. Any person who, with the intent of intimidating any person or group of persons, burns an obj…

A. It is unlawful for any person or persons, with the intent of intimidating another person or group of persons, to place or cause to be placed a Hakenkreuz, hooked cross, or Nazi symbol or emblem, sometimes referred to as the Nazi swastika, on (i) any church, synagogue, or other…

A. Any person who, with the intent of intimidating any person or group of persons, displays a noose on the private property of another without permission is guilty of a Class 6 felony. B. Any person who, with the intent of intimidating any person or group of persons, displays a n…

As used in this article: "Emergency call" means a call to report a fire or summon police, or for emergency medical services, in a situation where human life or property is in jeopardy and the prompt summoning of aid is essential. "Emergency personnel" means any persons, paid or v…

Any person who uses obscene, vulgar, profane, lewd, lascivious, or indecent language, or makes any suggestion or proposal of an obscene nature, or threatens any illegal or immoral act with the intent to coerce, intimidate, or harass any person, over any telephone or citizens band…

If any person maliciously advises or informs another over any telephone in this Commonwealth of the death of, accident to, injury to, illness of, or disappearance of some third party, knowing the same to be false, he shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

A. Any person who, with or without intent to communicate but with intent to annoy any other person, causes any telephone or digital pager, not his own, to ring or to otherwise signal, and any person who permits or condones the use of any telephone under his control for such purpo…

A. For the purposes of this section: "Caller identification information" means data that identifies the identity of the caller or the caller's telephone number to the recipient of a telephone call or to the recipient's telephone network. "False caller identification information" …

Any person violating any of the provisions of this article may be prosecuted either in the county or city from which he called or in the county or city in which the call was received.

(1) It shall be the duty, on pain of contempt of court, of each telephone company in this Commonwealth to furnish immediately in response to a subpoena issued by a circuit court such information as it, its officers and employees may possess which, in the opinion of the court, may…

A. It is unlawful for any person without authorization to provide or cause to be provided a cellular telephone or other wireless telecommunications device to an incarcerated prisoner or person committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice in any juvenile correctional center. B.…

As used in this article: "Civil disorder" means any public disturbance within the United States or any territorial possessions thereof involving acts of violence by assemblages of three or more persons, which causes an immediate danger of or results in damage or injury to the pro…

A. A person is guilty of unlawful paramilitary activity, punishable as a Class 5 felony, if he: 1. Teaches or demonstrates to any other person the use, application, or making of any firearm, explosive or incendiary device, or technique capable of causing injury or death to person…

Nothing contained in this article shall be construed to apply to: 1. Any act of a law-enforcement officer performed in the otherwise lawful performance of the officer's official duties; 2. Any activity, undertaken without knowledge of or intent to cause or further a civil disorde…

If any person to whom an oath is lawfully administered on any occasion willfully swears falsely on such occasion touching any material matter or thing, or if a person falsely make oath that any other person is 18 years of age or older in order to obtain a marriage license for suc…

It shall likewise constitute perjury for any person, with the intent to testify falsely, to knowingly give testimony under oath as to any material matter or thing and subsequently to give conflicting testimony under oath as to the same matter or thing. In any indictment for such …

If any person procure or induce another to commit perjury or to give false testimony under oath in violation of any provision of this article, he shall be punished as prescribed in § 18.2-434. In any prosecution under this section, it shall be sufficient to prove that the person …

No witness called by the attorney for the Commonwealth, or by the court, and required to give evidence for the prosecution in a proceeding under this article shall ever be proceeded against for the offense concerning which he testified. Such witness shall be compelled to testify …

If any person corruptly give, offer or promise to any executive, legislative or judicial officer, sheriff or police officer, or to any candidate for such office, either before or after he shall have taken his seat, any gift or gratuity, with intent to influence his act, vote, opi…

If any executive, legislative or judicial officer, sheriff or police officer, or any candidate for such office, accept in this Commonwealth, or if, being resident in this Commonwealth, such officer or candidate shall go out of this Commonwealth and accept and afterwards return to…

If any officer authorized to serve legal process receive any money or other thing of value for omitting or delaying to perform any duty pertaining to his office, he shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor.

If any person give, offer or promise to give any money or other thing of value to a commissioner appointed by a court, auditor, arbitrator, umpire or juror (although not impaneled), with intent to bias his opinion or influence his decision in relation to any matter in which he is…

If any person give, offer, or promise to give any money or other thing of value to anyone with intent to prevent such person from testifying as a witness in any civil or criminal proceeding or with intent to cause that person to testify falsely, he shall be guilty of a Class 6 fe…

Whoever gives, promises or offers any valuable thing to any professional or amateur participant or prospective participant in any game, contest or sport, with intent to influence him to lose or try to lose or cause to be lost or to limit his or his team's margin of victory in any…

A professional or amateur participant or prospective participant in any game, contest or sport or a manager, coach or trainer of any team or individual participant or prospective participant in any such game, contest or sport, who solicits or accepts any valuable thing to influen…

(1) Any person who gives, offers or promises to an agent, employee or servant any gift or gratuity whatever, without the knowledge and consent of the principal, employer or master of such agent, employee or servant, with intent to influence his action to the prejudice of his prin…

A. No officer, director, or employee of a financial institution or subsidiary, affiliate or holding company thereof, or stockholder owning ten percent or more of the issued capital stock of any such financial institution or holding company, shall accept, receive or acquire any fe…

No witness called by the court or attorney for the Commonwealth and giving evidence for the prosecution, either before the grand jury or the court in any prosecution, under this article shall ever be proceeded against for any offense of giving, or offering to give, or accepting a…

The following words and phrases when used in this article shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them in this section except where the context clearly requires a different meaning: (1) "Benefits" means a gain or advantage, or anything regarded by the beneficiary as a ga…

A person shall be guilty of bribery under the provisions of this article: (1) If he offers, confers or agrees to confer upon another (a) any pecuniary benefit as consideration for or to obtain or influence the recipient's decision, opinion, recommendation, vote or other exercise …

It shall be no defense to any prosecution under § 18.2-447 that a person whom the actor sought to influence was not qualified to act in the desired way, whether because he had not yet assumed office, or lacked jurisdiction, or for any other reason. Also it shall be no defense to …

Any person found guilty of bribery under the provisions of this article shall be guilty of a Class 4 felony, and if such person be a public servant he shall in addition forfeit his public office and shall be forever incapable of holding any public office in this Commonwealth.

No witness called by the court or attorney for the Commonwealth and giving evidence for the prosecution, either before the grand jury or the court in any prosecution under this article shall ever be proceeded against for any offense of giving, or offering to give, or accepting a …

(a) "Barratry" is the offense of stirring up litigation. (b) A "barrator" is an individual, partnership, association or corporation who or which stirs up litigation. (c) "Stirring up litigation" means instigating or attempting to instigate a person or persons to institute a suit …

Any person, if an individual, who shall engage in barratry shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor; and if a corporation, may be fined not more than $10,000. If the corporation be a foreign corporation, its certificate of authority to transact business in Virginia shall be revok…

A person who aids and abets a barrator by giving money or rendering services to or for the use or benefit of the barrator for committing barratry shall be guilty of barratry and punished as provided in § 18.2-452.

Suits to enjoin barratry may be brought by the Attorney General or the attorney for the Commonwealth in the appropriate circuit court.

Conduct that is made illegal by this article on the part of an attorney at law or any person holding license from the Commonwealth to engage in a profession is unprofessional conduct. Upon hearing pursuant to the provisions of § 54.1-3935, or other statute applicable to the profe…

A. The courts and judges may issue attachments for contempt, and punish them summarily, only in the following cases: 1. Misbehavior in the presence of the court, or so near thereto as to obstruct or interrupt the administration of justice; 2. Violence, or threats of violence, to …

No court shall, without a jury, for any such contempt as is mentioned in the first class embraced in § 18.2-456, impose a fine exceeding $250 or imprison more than ten days; but in any such case the court may, without an indictment, information or any formal pleading, impanel a j…