If a person comes into this Commonwealth in obedience to a summons directing him to attend and testify in this Commonwealth he shall not while in this Commonwealth pursuant to such summons be subject to arrest or the service of process, civil or criminal, in connection with matters which arose before his entrance into this Commonwealth under the summons.

Terms Used In Virginia Code 19.2-280

  • Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
  • Person: includes any individual, corporation, partnership, association, cooperative, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, government, political subdivision, or any other legal or commercial entity and any successor, representative, agent, agency, or instrumentality thereof. See Virginia Code 1-230
  • Process: includes subpoenas, the summons and complaint in a civil action, and process in statutory actions. See Virginia Code 1-237
  • Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
  • state: shall include any territory of the United States and the District of Columbia. See Virginia Code 19.2-272
  • summons: shall include a subpoena (both subpoena ad testificandum and subpoena duces tecum), order or other notice requiring the appearance of a witness or production of documents. See Virginia Code 19.2-272
  • Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
  • Testify: Answer questions in court.

If a person passes through this Commonwealth while going to another state in obedience to a summons to attend and testify in that state or while returning therefrom, he shall not while so passing through this Commonwealth be subject to arrest or the service of process, civil or criminal, in connection with matters which arose before his entrance into this Commonwealth under the summons.

Code 1950, § 19.1-277; 1960, c. 366; 1975, c. 495.

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