Va. Code » Title 19.2. Criminal Procedure » Chapter 15. Trial and Its Incidents » Article 5. Miscellaneous Provisions
Virginia Code

Va. Code Ann. § 19.2-265.2 (2026)

Judicial notice of laws (Supreme Court Rule 2:202 derived in part from this section)

✓ current as of May 2026
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A. Whenever, in any criminal case it becomes necessary to ascertain what the law, statutory or otherwise, of this Commonwealth, of another state, of the United States, of another country, or of any political subdivision or agency of the same is, or was, at any time, the court shall take judicial notice thereof whether specially pleaded or not.

B. The court, in taking such notice, shall consult any book, record, register, journal, or other official document or publication purporting to contain, state, or explain such law, and may consider any evidence or other information or argument that is offered on the subject.

1978, c. 328.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 16 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1981–2023 · leading case: Anthony Wade Ragland v. Commonwealth of Virginia, 797 S.E.2d 437 (Va. Ct. App. 2017).
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Anthony Wade Ragland v. Commonwealth of Virginia, 797 S.E.2d 437 (Va. Ct. App. 2017). · cites it 2× “” Code § 19.2-265.2(A) authorizes a court in a criminal case to take notice of law “statutory or otherwise,” but leaves it up to the court to determine if “it becomes necessary” to take judicial notice.”
Rufty v. Commonwealth, 275 S.E.2d 584 (Va. 1981). · cites it 4× “In the Commonwealth’s brief, citing Code § 19.2-265.2, the Attorney General suggests that the trial court took judicial notice of North Carolina’s laws pertaining to drunk driving and thus relieved the Commonwealth from proving the provisions of those laws and their similarity…”
Lampkin v. Commonwealth, 706 S.E.2d 51 (Va. Ct. App. 2011). · cites it 2× “Rules, Part 1, Circuit Courts of Virginia, Times for the Commencement of the Regular Terms (1998); Code § 19.2-265.2 ("Whenever, in a criminal case it becomes necessary to ascertain what the law, statutory or otherwise, of this Commonwealth .”
Oulds v. Commonwealth, 532 S.E.2d 33 (Va. 2000). · cites it 2× “Code § 19.2-265.2(A) reads as follows: Whenever, in any criminal case it becomes necessary to ascertain what the law, statutory or otherwise, of this Commonwealth, of another state, of the United States, of another country, or of any political subdivision or agency of the same…”
Charles C. Girard, s/k/a Charles Cornell Girard v. Commonwealth of Virginia, 783 S.E.2d 561 (Va. Ct. App. 2016). · cites it 2× “On the other hand, Code § 19.2-265.2 provides a statutory authority for courts to take judicial notice of certain things.”
Michelle Lynn Cubitt v. Commonwealth (Va. Ct. App. 2002). · cites it 7× “Answering the argument, the Supreme Court referred to Code § 19.2-265.2, which provides as follows: A.”
Commonwealth v. Fox, 78 Va. Cir. 40 (Fairfax Cir. Ct. 2008). · cites it 4× “Va. Code Ann. § 19.2-265.2 (2008). The Compact was entered into by the Commonwealth of Virginia pursuant to Chapter 627 of the 1958 Acts of Assembly and is incorporated in the Code of Virginia at §§ 56-529, 56-530.”
Colton Allen King v. Commonwealth of Virginia (Va. Ct. App. 2023). · cites it 2× “Under Code § 19.2-265.2(A), [w]henever, in any criminal case it becomes necessary to ascertain what the law, statutory or otherwise, of this Commonwealth, of another state, of the United States, of another country, or of any political subdivision or agency of the same is, or…”
Anton Lavelle Webb v. Commonwealth (Va. Ct. App. 2003). · cites it 2× “Whenever, in any criminal case, it becomes necessary to ascertain what the law, statutory or otherwise, of this Commonwealth, of another state of the United States, or another country, or of any political subdivision or agency of the same is, or was, at any time, the court shall…”
Claude Prunty v. Commonwealth of Virginia (Va. Ct. App. 2001). · cites it 2× “" Code § 19.2-265.2(B). The record reflects the trial court relied upon a photocopy of the applicable code section.”
Blake v. Commonwealth (Va. 2014). · cites it 2× “2 1 Although the regulations for Loudoun County are not a part of the record, "[w]henever in any criminal case it becomes necessary to ascertain what the law, statutory or otherwise, of this Commonwealth, .”
Douglas Tyrone Oulds v. Commonwealth of Virginia (Va. Ct. App. 1999). · cites it 3× “" Code §§ 19.2-265.2 and 8.01-386 are verbatim. The local ordinance was before the trial court, but it is no longer necessary that it be separately proved and formally admitted.”
Show all 16 citing cases →
— Va. Code Ann. § 19.2-265.2(A) — 6 cases
Anthony Wade Ragland v. Commonwealth of Virginia, 797 S.E.2d 437 (Va. Ct. App. 2017). “” Code § 19.2-265.2(A) authorizes a court in a criminal case to take notice of law “statutory or otherwise,” but leaves it up to the court to determine if “it becomes necessary” to take judicial notice.”
Oulds v. Commonwealth, 532 S.E.2d 33 (Va. 2000). “Code § 19.2-265.2(A) reads as follows: Whenever, in any criminal case it becomes necessary to ascertain what the law, statutory or otherwise, of this Commonwealth, of another state, of the United States, of another country, or of any political subdivision or agency of the same…”
Colton Allen King v. Commonwealth of Virginia (Va. Ct. App. 2023). “Under Code § 19.2-265.2(A), [w]henever, in any criminal case it becomes necessary to ascertain what the law, statutory or otherwise, of this Commonwealth, of another state, of the United States, of another country, or of any political subdivision or agency of the same is, or…”
Michelle Lynn Cubitt v. Commonwealth (Va. Ct. App. 2002). “Answering the argument, the Supreme Court referred to Code § 19.2-265.2, which provides as follows: A.”
Blake v. Commonwealth (Va. 2014). “2 1 Although the regulations for Loudoun County are not a part of the record, "[w]henever in any criminal case it becomes necessary to ascertain what the law, statutory or otherwise, of this Commonwealth, .”
— Va. Code Ann. § 19.2-265.2(B) — 2 cases
Michelle Lynn Cubitt v. Commonwealth (Va. Ct. App. 2002). “Answering the argument, the Supreme Court referred to Code § 19.2-265.2, which provides as follows: A.”
Claude Prunty v. Commonwealth of Virginia (Va. Ct. App. 2001). “" Code § 19.2-265.2(B). The record reflects the trial court relied upon a photocopy of the applicable code section.”
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