Virginia statute

Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-263 — Unnecessary to negative exception, etc.; burden of proof of exception, etc

Current through 2026 Regular Session

Part of Article 1: Drugs, Code of Virginia.

Full text of Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-263

Statutory text current through the 2026 Regular Session. This publication reproduces the text of the Code of Virginia from the official Virginia Law Portal API published by the Virginia General Assembly's Division of Legislative Automated Systems; it is not the official Code of Virginia.

Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-263Primary source, current through the 2026 Regular Session

In any complaint, information, or indictment, and in any action or proceeding brought for the enforcement of any provision of this article or of the Drug Control Act (§ 54.1-3400 et seq.), it shall not be necessary to negative any exception, excuse, proviso, or exemption contained in this article or in the Drug Control Act, and the burden of proof of any such exception, excuse, proviso, or exemption shall be upon the defendant.

Official sources

Official section text (law.lis.virginia.gov)

Legal terms used in this section

Defendant

Questions this section answers

Is attempts to commit felonies other than Class 1 felony offenses a felony or a misdemeanor in Virginia?

It depends on the circumstances: attempts to commit felonies other than Class 1 felony offenses ranges from a class 6 felony to a class 4 felony in Virginia under Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-26.

Attempt to commit felony punishable by life or more than 20 years: class 4 felony (Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-261) · Attempt to commit felony punishable by 20 years: class 5 felony (Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-262) · Attempt to commit felony punishable by less than 20 years: class 6 felony (Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-263)

This reference is informational and is not legal advice.