Virginia criminal charge
Compensation of court-appointed counsel in Virginia
Compensation of court-appointed counsel is a class 1 felony under Virginia criminal law, defined by Va. Code Ann. § 19.2-163. As a class 1 felony, it is punishable within the statutory sentencing range Virginia sets for that offense class. Virginia classifies offenses as Class 1 through Class 6 felonies and Class 1 through Class 4 misdemeanors (Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-9), with the standard punishment ranges set by §§ 18.2-10 and 18.2-11 — and a substantial number of offenses are unclassified, with the penalty stated in the defining section itself. Traffic infractions are not criminal offenses (§ 18.2-8).
Defined by Va. Code Ann. § 19.2-163.
What is the penalty for compensation of court-appointed counsel in Virginia?
| Penalty | Range | Basis | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jail / prison | imprisonment for life; a person 18 or older at the offense is ineligible for parole, good conduct allowance, earned sentence credits, or conditional release (§ 18.2-10(a)) | mandatory | Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-10 |
| Fine | up to $100,000 (only together with imprisonment (§ 18.2-10(g))) | discretionary | Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-10 |
Applies to current (death penalty abolished 2021, Sp. Sess. I; § 18.2-10(a) is life-only).
Common questions about compensation of court-appointed counsel in Virginia
Is compensation of court-appointed counsel a felony or a misdemeanor in Virginia?
Compensation of court-appointed counsel is a class 1 felony in Virginia under Va. Code Ann. § 19.2-163.
What are the penalties for compensation of court-appointed counsel in Virginia?
As a class 1 felony, compensation of court-appointed counsel carries imprisonment for life; a person 18 or older at the offense is ineligible for parole, good conduct allowance, earned sentence credits, or conditional release (§ 18.2-10(a)) of incarceration and a fine of up to $100,000 (no mandatory minimum) under Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-10 (current (death penalty abolished 2021, Sp. Sess. I; § 18.2-10(a) is life-only)).
Which Virginia statute covers compensation of court-appointed counsel?
Compensation of court-appointed counsel is governed by Va. Code Ann. § 19.2-163 (Compensation of court-appointed counsel).
Legal terms used in this law
This reference is informational and is not legal advice. Penalty ranges are the statutory classification ranges; sentencing in a specific case depends on its facts and history.