Virginia Law

Article 5. Receipts for Fines.

Every officer collecting a fine, fine and costs or costs when no fine is imposed shall give an official receipt therefor to the person making the payment, and the clerk of the court shall use the official receipt in receipting to a court not of record for payments made to the clerk; and when the fine, fine and costs or costs are collected by execution, the clerk shall receipt to the officer making payment to him upon the official receipts.

Code 1950, § 19.1-348; 1960, c. 366; 1975, c. 495.

The Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court shall prescribe and prepare forms of official receipts for fines and distribute them to the clerks of the circuit courts and to the clerks of the district courts for their use. A record of the disposition of each receipt form shall be maintained as prescribed by the Executive Secretary.

Code 1950, § 19.1-349; 1960, c. 366; 1972, c. 97; 1975, c. 495; 1977, c. 465.

The clerk of the court, upon written or electronic request, shall provide an itemized statement to any defendant convicted of a traffic infraction or a violation of any criminal law of the Commonwealth or of any political subdivision thereof, or found not innocent in the case of a juvenile, who is sentenced to pay a fine, restitution, forfeiture, or penalty or assessed any other costs in the circuit court or appropriate district court of his county or city at the time such fine, restitution, forfeiture, penalty, or other costs are assessed, or within a reasonable time after assessment. The clerk shall also provide an updated statement of the outstanding balances of fines, forfeiture, and penalties, restitution and costs, or payment history upon written or electronic request of the defendant. Any such itemized or updated statement shall be provided to the defendant either in person if he appears in person and furnishes proper identification or by trackable courier service with signature requirement or first-class mail.

2025, c. 638.

If any officer misuse, misappropriate, or willfully fail to return or account for, a fine collected by him he shall be deemed guilty of embezzlement and shall be punished as for the embezzlement of public funds and the failure, without good cause, to produce or account for any receipt form received by him shall be prima facie evidence of his embezzlement of the amount represented thereby.

Code 1950, § 19.1-350; 1960, c. 366; 1975, c. 495.