Virginia Code

Va. Code Ann. § 19.2-239 (2026)

Jurisdiction in criminal cases

✓ current as of May 2026

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The circuit courts, except where otherwise provided, shall have exclusive original jurisdiction for the trial of all presentments, indictments and informations for offenses committed within their respective circuits.

Code 1950, § 19.1-187; 1960, c. 366; 1975, c. 495.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 39 cases (8 in the last 5 years), 1991–2025 · leading case: Porter v. Com., 661 S.E.2d 415 (Va. 2008).

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Porter v. Com., 661 S.E.2d 415 (Va. 2008). · cites it 32× “2-239, which sets forth that "[t]he circuit courts, except where otherwise provided, shall have exclusive original jurisdiction for the trial of all presentments, indictments and informations for offenses committed within their respective circuits." (Emphasis added.) The…”

Wright v. Commonwealth, 667 S.E.2d 787 (Va. Ct. App. 2008). · cites it 8× “Code § 19.2-239 describes the jurisdiction of the circuit court over indictments as "original jurisdiction," not appellate jurisdiction.”

Morris v. Commonwealth, 658 S.E.2d 708 (Va. Ct. App. 2008). · cites it 4× “ANALYSIS Code § 19.2-239 confers jurisdiction on the respective circuit courts of this Commonwealth for “all presentments, indictments and informations for offenses committed within their respective circuits.”

Thomas v. Commonwealth, 549 S.E.2d 648 (Va. Ct. App. 2001). · cites it 6× “The jurisdictional grant set forth in Code § 19.2-239 empowers the circuit court to try charges relating to offenses committed within the Commonwealth.”

Moore v. Commonwealth, 527 S.E.2d 415 (Va. 2000). · cites it 4× “With certain exceptions that are not pertinent here, Code § 19.2-239 grants the circuit court "exclusive original jurisdiction for the trial of all .”

Clay v. Yates, 809 F. Supp. 417 (E.D. Va. 1992). · cites it 2× “See Va.Code Ann. §§ 19.2-239; 19.2-254. Hence, even assuming arguendo that Judge Spain acted as Clay alleges, the acts alleged to constitute the basis for Judge Spain’s liability were at best erroneous acts within his jurisdiction or acts in excess of his jurisdiction.”

Owusu v. Commonwealth, 401 S.E.2d 431 (Va. Ct. App. 1991). · cites it 4× “The subject matter jurisdiction of all circuit courts in the Commonwealth is specified in Code §§ 19.2-239 and 17-123. Code § 19.2-239 grants the circuit courts jurisdiction in criminal cases *673 for “all presentments, indictments and informations for offenses committed within…”

Carl Burnes Gordon v. Commonwealth, 568 S.E.2d 452 (Va. Ct. App. 2002). · cites it 10× “He bases his claim on Code § 19.2-239, which provides the circuit courts with “exclusive jurisdiction for the trial of all presentments and informations for offenses committed within their respective circuits.”

Boston Correll v. Herring, 212 F. Supp. 3d 584 (E.D. Va. 2016). · cites it 3× “Second, Defendants argue that Correll’s fear of criminal prosecution is not objectively reasonable because the “traditional view of criminal jurisdiction in Virginia requires that the crime occur within the Commonwealth,” and Correll intends to engage in expressive conduct in…”

Simmons v. Commonwealth, 681 S.E.2d 56 (Va. Ct. App. 2009). · cites it 4× “See also Code § 19.2-239 (Circuit courts “have exclusive original jurisdiction for the trial of all presentments, indictments and informations for offenses committed within their respective circuits.”

Foster-Zahid v. Commonwealth, 477 S.E.2d 759 (Va. Ct. App. 1996). · cites it 2× “*440 (B) Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Code § 19.2-239 defines the jurisdiction of the circuit courts of Virginia in criminal cases and provides that “[t]he circuit courts, except where otherwise provided, shall have exclusive original jurisdiction for the trial of all…”

Moreno v. Baskerville, 452 S.E.2d 653 (Va. 1995). · cites it 2× “” Elaborating, the Attorney General says, “If Moreno had any question about the degree of his conduct in the distribution chain and whether his conduct would support his conviction in Virginia for distributing drugs, he had the opportunity to raise the issue at trial and on…”

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