Virginia criminal charge
Threats of death or bodily injury to a person or member of his family in Virginia
Threats of death or bodily injury to a person or member of his family is a criminal offense under Virginia law, defined by Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-60. Its classification is not fixed: Virginia assigns a different penalty class depending on the circumstances of the offense. The class that applies — and the sentencing range that follows from it — depends on which statutory variant fits the facts.
Defined by Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-60.
What is the penalty for threats of death or bodily injury to a person or member of his family in Virginia?
| Penalty | Range | Basis | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jail / prison | up to 12 months (Oral threat to kill or injure school employee or health care provider — A person orally threatens to kill or do bodily injury to a school employee on a bus, school property, or school activity, or to a health care provider performing duties at a health care facility (with certain emergency-order exceptions).) | discretionary | Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-11 |
| Fine | up to $2,500 (Oral threat to kill or injure school employee or health care provider — A person orally threatens to kill or do bodily injury to a school employee on a bus, school property, or school activity, or to a health care provider performing duties at a health care facility (with certain emergency-order exceptions).; either or both with confinement (§ 18.2-11(a))) | discretionary | Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-11 |
Applies to current.
How is threats of death or bodily injury to a person or member of his family classified in Virginia?
The classification depends on the circumstances:
| Variant | Classification | When it applies | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oral threat to kill or injure school employee or health care provider | class 1 misdemeanor | A person orally threatens to kill or do bodily injury to a school employee on a bus, school property, or school activity, or to a health care provider performing duties at a health care facility (with certain emergency-order exceptions). | Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-60B |
Common questions about threats of death or bodily injury to a person or member of his family in Virginia
Is threats of death or bodily injury to a person or member of his family a felony or a misdemeanor in Virginia?
Threats of death or bodily injury to a person or member of his family is a class 1 misdemeanor in Virginia under Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-60.
Oral threat to kill or injure school employee or health care provider: class 1 misdemeanor (Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-60B)
What are the penalties for threats of death or bodily injury to a person or member of his family in Virginia?
Penalties for threats of death or bodily injury to a person or member of his family in Virginia depend on how it is classified — from a class 1 misdemeanor up to a class 1 misdemeanor — with the ranges set by Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-11; the full table of ranges by variant is published on this page.
Which Virginia statute covers threats of death or bodily injury to a person or member of his family?
Threats of death or bodily injury to a person or member of his family is governed by Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-60 (Threats of death or bodily injury to a person or member of his family; threats of death or discharge of a firearm on school property; threats of death or bodily injury to health care providers; penalties).
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.