Virginia Law

Whenever in the discretion of the court it is necessary for the safekeeping of a prisoner under charge of, or sentence for, crime, whether the prisoner be in jail, hospital, court or elsewhere, the court may order the jailer to summon a sufficient guard, and whenever ordered by the court to do so, the sheriff of any county or city shall summon or employ temporarily such person or persons as may be needed to preserve proper order or otherwise to aid the court in its proper operation and functioning, and for such guard or other service the court may allow therefor so much as it deems proper, not exceeding the hourly equivalent of the minimum annual salary paid a full-time deputy sheriff who performs like services in the same county or city; in addition, mileage and other expenses for rendering the services shall be paid for each person, the same to be paid out of the budget allotted to the sheriff as approved by the Compensation Board, except when payment for such guard is otherwise provided under the provisions of § 53.1-94 of the Code of Virginia.

Code 1950, § 19.1-308; 1960, c. 366; 1972, c. 225; 1973, c. 401; 1975, c. 495; 1981, c. 386; 1985, c. 321.

Sections 17.1-612 to 17.1-616, inclusive, shall apply to a person attending as a witness, under a recognizance or summons in a criminal case, as well as to a person attending under a summons in a civil case, except that a person residing out of this Commonwealth, who attends a court therein as a witness, shall be allowed by the court a proper compensation for attendance and travel to and from the place of his abode, the amount of the same to be fixed by the court.

Code 1950, § 19.1-312; 1960, c. 366; 1975, c. 495; 1977, c. 483.

Any witness from without the Commonwealth whose attendance is compelled under the provisions of Chapter 16, Article 2 (§ 19.2-272 et seq.) of this title shall be deemed to render a service within the meaning of § 19.2-332 and the compensation and expenses of such witness, whether on behalf of the Commonwealth or the accused, may be paid out of the state treasury in accordance with the provisions of such section. But the compensation and expenses of any witness summoned on behalf of an accused shall not be certified to the state treasury as a compensation under such section except in cases when the court or judge thereof is satisfied that the defendant is without means to pay same and is unable to provide the costs incident thereto.

Code 1950, § 19.1-313; 1960, c. 366; 1975, c. 495.

Payment shall not be made out of the state treasury to a witness attending for the Commonwealth in any prosecution for a misdemeanor unless it appears that the sum to which the witness is entitled cannot be obtained:

(1) If it be a case wherein there is a prosecutor and the defendant is convicted, by reason of the insolvency of the defendant, or

(2) If it be a case in which there is no prosecutor, by reason of the acquittal or insolvency of the defendant or other cause.

Code 1950, § 19.1-314; 1960, c. 366; 1975, c. 495.

Whenever in a criminal case an officer or other person renders any service required by law for which no specific compensation is provided, or whenever any other service has been rendered pursuant to the request or prior approval of the court, the court shall allow therefor such sum as it deems reasonable, including mileage at a rate provided by law, and such allowance shall be paid out of the state treasury from the appropriation for criminal charges on the certificate of the court stating the nature of the service. This section shall not prevent any payment under § 2.2-816, which could have been made if this section had not been enacted.

This section shall not be construed to authorize the payment of any additional compensation to an officer or other employee of the Commonwealth who is compensated for his services exclusively by salary unless it be otherwise expressly provided by law.

Code 1950, § 19.1-315; 1960, c. 366; 1972, c. 719; 1975, c. 495.

No fee to an attorney for the Commonwealth shall be payable out of the state treasury, unless it be expressly so provided.

Code 1950, § 19.1-316; 1960, c. 366; 1975, c. 495.

Any other expense incident to a proceeding in a criminal case which is payable out of the state treasury otherwise than under §§ 2.2-816, 19.2-330 or § 19.2-332 shall be certified by the court. If it be a judge of a district court exercising jurisdiction, it shall be certified by such judge to the Supreme Court. With the certificate of allowance there shall be transmitted to the Supreme Court the vouchers on which it is made. The court, in passing upon any account for fees or expenses required to be certified by it under this section, before certifying the account, may, in its discretion, require proof of the correctness of any item thereof.

The entry of such certificate of allowance shall state how much thereof is on account of each person prosecuted.

Code 1950, §§ 19.1-317, 19.1-318; 1960, c. 366; 1975, c. 495; 1978, c. 195; 1979, c. 465.

A judge of a district court before whom there is any proceeding in a criminal case, including any proceeding that has been deferred upon probation of the defendant pursuant to § 16.1-278.8, 16.1-278.9, 18.2-61, 18.2-67.1, 18.2-67.2, 18.2-251, 19.2-298.02, 19.2-303.2, or 19.2-303.6, shall certify to the clerk of the circuit court of his county or city, and a judge or court before whom there is, in a criminal case, any proceeding preliminary to conviction in another court, upon receiving information of the conviction from the clerk of the court wherein it is, shall certify to such clerk, all the expenses incident to such proceedings which are payable out of the state treasury.

Code 1950, § 19.1-319; 1960, c. 366; 1968, c. 639; 1975, c. 495; 1995, c. 485; 2005, c. 631; 2020, c. 1004; 2020, Sp. Sess. I, c. 21.

In every criminal case the clerk of the circuit court in which the accused is found guilty or is placed on probation during deferral of the proceedings pursuant to § 16.1-278.8, 16.1-278.9, 18.2-61, 18.2-67.1, 18.2-67.2, 18.2-251, 19.2-298.02, 19.2-303.2, or 19.2-303.6 or, if the conviction is in a district court, the clerk to which the judge thereof certifies as aforesaid, shall, as soon as may be, make up a statement of all the expenses incident to the prosecution, including such as are certified under § 19.2-335, and execution for the amount of such expenses shall be issued and proceeded with. Chapter 21 (§ 19.2-339 et seq.) shall apply thereto in like manner as if, on the day of completing the statement, there was a judgment in such court in favor of the Commonwealth against the accused for such amount as a fine. However, in any case in which an accused waives trial by jury, at least 10 days before trial, but the Commonwealth or the court trying the case refuses to so waive, then the cost of the jury shall not be included in such statement or judgment recorded pursuant to § 17.1-275.5.

Code 1950, § 19.1-320; 1960, c. 366; 1970, c. 429; 1975, c. 495; 1978, c. 716; 1995, c. 485; 2005, c. 631; 2012, c. 714; 2020, c. 1004; 2020, Sp. Sess. I, c. 21.

If by reason of the failure of a person to present his claim in due time a sum be not included in such execution which would have been included if so presented, such claim, unless there be good cause for the failure, shall be disallowed.

Code 1950, § 19.1-321; 1960, c. 366; 1975, c. 495.

(1) Notwithstanding any provision of any charter or any law to the contrary, any town may provide that any person convicted of violating any ordinance of the town may be charged, in addition to all other costs, fines, fees and charges, the costs of transporting such person so convicted to and from a jail or other penal institution outside the corporate limits of such town designated by the town as a place of confinement for persons arrested for violating the ordinances of the town and required to be held in jail pending trial upon such charge. The cost of such transportation shall be taxed as a part of the costs payable by persons convicted of violating such ordinances.

(2) No officer transporting any person convicted of violating any ordinance of the town, as provided in subsection (1) hereof, shall charge or be paid, nor shall such town receive directly or indirectly, more than the cost of transporting such person when more than one person is transported.

Code 1950, § 19.1-322; 1960, c. 366; 1975, c. 495; 1995, c. 51.