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Va. Code Ann. § 1-217 (2026)

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✓ current as of May 2026
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The headlines of the sections printed in black-face type are intended as mere catchwords to indicate the contents of the sections and do not constitute part of the act of the General Assembly.

Code 1919, § 5; Code 1950, § 1-13; 1950, p. 21, § 1-13.9; 2005, c. 839.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 8 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 2005–2025 · leading case: Butler v. Fairfax Cnty. Sch. Bd., 780 S.E.2d 277 (Va. 2015).
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Butler v. Fairfax Cnty. Sch. Bd., 780 S.E.2d 277 (Va. 2015). · cites it 2× “Code § 1-217 ; see also Thurston Metals & Supply Co.”
Foster v. Commonwealth, 623 S.E.2d 902 (Va. 2006). · cites it 2× “Addressing defendant's reliance substantively upon the headline of Code § 18.2-96, and her argument in support, we are of opinion that the statute has no impact upon the foregoing analysis.”
Atl. Coast Pipeline, L.L.C. v. Avery, 92 Va. Cir. 387 (Nelson Cir. Ct. 2016). · cites it 3× “Va. Code § 1-217 (“The headlines of the sections printed in black-face type are intended as mere catchwords to indicate the contents of the sections and do not constitute a part of the act of the General Assembly.”
Harry M. Williams, Jr. v. Commonwealth of Virginia (Va. Ct. App. 2018). · cites it 2× “See generally Code § 1-217 (explaining that the heading of a code section is not part of the law); Foster v.”
Commonwealth v. Hall, 823 S.E.2d 485 (Va. 2019). · cites it 2× “2d 277 (2015) (citing Code § 1-217 ). See, e.g. , United States v.”
Richard Elton Whitted v. Commonwealth of Virginia (Va. Ct. App. 2025). · cites it 2× “32, 38 (2015) (quoting Code § 1-217). The phrase “violent sexual felony” does not appear in the statute itself.”
Hudson v. Virginia Emp. Comm'n, 69 Va. Cir. 318 (Richmond County Cir. Ct. 2005). · cites it 3× “” While headlines of code sections “are intended as mere catchwords to indicate the contents of the sections and do not constitute part of the act of the General Assembly,” see Va. Code § 1-217, and while the word “preference” is not contained anywhere in the body of the…”
Atl. Coast Pipeline, L.L.C. v. Wadsworth, 92 Va. Cir. 188 (Augusta Cir. Ct. 2015). · cites it 2× “Code § 1-217 (“The headlines of the sections printed in black-face type are intended as mere catchwords to indicate the contents of the sections and do not constitute a part of the act of the General Assembly.”
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