Virginia Law

As used in this chapter:

"Joint custody" means (i) joint legal custody where both parents retain joint responsibility for the care and control of the child and joint authority to make decisions concerning the child even though the child's primary residence may be with only one parent, (ii) joint physical custody where both parents share physical and custodial care of the child, or (iii) any combination of joint legal and joint physical custody which the court deems to be in the best interest of the child.

"Person with a legitimate interest" shall be broadly construed and includes, but is not limited to, grandparents, step-grandparents, stepparents, former stepparents, blood relatives and family members provided any such party has intervened in the suit or is otherwise properly before the court. The term shall be broadly construed to accommodate the best interest of the child. A party with a legitimate interest shall not include any person (i) whose parental rights have been terminated by court order, either voluntarily or involuntarily, except for purposes of this title, as otherwise provided by this definition: (ii) whose interest in the child derives from or through a person whose parental rights have been terminated, either voluntarily or involuntarily, or whose interest in the child derives from or through a person pursuant to clause (iii), including but not limited to grandparents, stepparents, former stepparents, blood relatives and family members, if the child subsequently has been legally adopted, except where a final order of adoption is entered pursuant to § 63.2-1241; or (iii) who has been convicted of a violation of subsection A of § 18.2-61, § 18.2-63, subsection B of § 18.2-366, or an equivalent offense of another state, the United States, or any foreign jurisdiction, or who has been found by clear and convincing evidence to have engaged in the conduct prohibited by subsection A of § 18.2-61, § 18.2-63, or subsection B of § 18.2-366, whether or not the person has been charged with or convicted of the alleged violation, when the child who is the subject of the petition was conceived as a result of such violation or conduct. For purposes of this title, a "person with a legitimate interest" shall also include a parent whose rights previously had been terminated, provided that the child whose custody or visitation is at issue (a) is at least 14 years of age; (b) has had a permanency goal previously achieved by adoption; (c) has had his adoptive parents die or, pursuant to § 16.1-277.02, each of such child's adoptive parents has permanently been relieved of custody of such child and each adoptive parent has had his parental rights terminated; and (d) is in the custody of a local board of social services, and provided that the parent whose rights had previously been terminated has (1) complied with the terms of any written post-adoption contact and communication agreement entered into pursuant to Article 1.1 (§ 63.2-1220.2 et seq.) of Chapter 12 of Title 63.2 and (2) maintained a positive, continuous relationship with the child since termination.

"Sole custody" means that one person retains responsibility for the care and control of a child and has primary authority to make decisions concerning the child.

1994, c. 769; 1997, c. 690; 1999, c. 1028; 2000, c. 830; 2003, c. 229; 2005, c. 890; 2014, c. 653; 2025, cc. 143, 547.