Virginia legal term
Fictive kin in Virginia Criminal Law
Current through 2026 Virginia legislative session
In Virginia criminal law, “Fictive kin” 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 “Fictive kin” mean in Virginia criminal law?
"Fictive kin" means persons who are not related to a child by blood or adoption but have an established relationship with the child or his family and such relationship existed prior to the child's initial entry into foster care. (Va. Code Ann. § 16.1-228)
Statutes defining or using this term
Related terms in the same statutes
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.