Virginia legal term
Device in Virginia Criminal Law
Current through 2026 Virginia legislative session
In Virginia criminal law, “Device” is a term defined by statute rather than by its everyday meaning. Its statutory definition — quoted verbatim below — controls how the term is applied throughout the Virginia criminal code.
What does “Device” mean in Virginia criminal law?
"Device" means instruments, apparatus, and contrivances, including their components, parts, and accessories, intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease in man or animals or to affect the structure or any function of the body of man or animals. (Va. Code Ann. § 54.1-3401)
Statutes defining or using this term
Charges using this term
- Burning or destroying any other building or structure
- Burning or destroying personal property, standing grain, etc
- Covering a security camera in a correctional facility
- Credit card or gift card fraud
- Impersonating law-enforcement officer
- Interception, disclosure, etc., of wire, electronic or oral communications unlawful
- Obtaining or attempting to obtain oil, electric, gas, water, telephone, telegraph, cable television or electronic communication service without payment
- Stealing from or tampering with parking meter, vending machine, pay telephone, etc
- Tampering with or unlawful use of cable television service
- Unlawful creation of image of another
- Unlawful use of payment card scanning devices and re-encoders
- Abuse and neglect of children
Related terms in the same statutes
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.