Code of Virginia
Chapter 15 - Trial and Its Incidents
§ 19.2-259. On trial for felony, accused to be present; when court may enter plea for him, and trial go on

A person tried for felony shall be personally present during the trial. If when arraigned he will not plead or answer and does not confess his guilt the court shall have the plea of not guilty entered and the trial shall proceed as if the accused had put in that plea. But for the purposes of this section a motion for a continuance, whether made before or after arraignment, shall not be deemed to be part of the trial.
Code 1950, § 19.1-240; 1960, c. 366; 1975, c. 495.

Structure Code of Virginia

Code of Virginia

Title 19.2 - Criminal Procedure

Chapter 15 - Trial and Its Incidents

§ 19.2-239. Jurisdiction in criminal cases

§ 19.2-240. Clerks shall make out criminal docket; transportation orders

§ 19.2-241. Time within which court to set criminal cases for trial

§ 19.2-242. Accused discharged from jail if not indicted in time

§ 19.2-243. Limitation on prosecution of felony due to lapse of time after finding of probable cause; misdemeanors; exceptions

§ 19.2-244. Venue in general

§ 19.2-245. Offenses committed without and made punishable within Commonwealth; embezzlement or larceny committed within Commonwealth; where prosecuted

§ 19.2-245.01. Offenses involving reports or statements concerning cigarette sales or stamping

§ 19.2-245.1. Forgery; where prosecuted

§ 19.2-245.2. Tax offenses; where prosecuted

§ 19.2-246. Injury inflicted by person within Commonwealth upon one outside Commonwealth

§ 19.2-247. Venue in certain homicide cases

§ 19.2-248. Venue when mortal wound, etc., inflicted in one county and death ensues in another

§ 19.2-249. Offenses committed on boundary of two counties, two cities, or county and city, etc.; where prosecuted

§ 19.2-249.1. Offenses committed within towns situated in two or more counties; where prosecuted

§ 19.2-249.2. Venue for prosecution of computer and other crimes

§ 19.2-250. How far jurisdiction of corporate authorities extends

§ 19.2-251. When and how venue may be changed

§ 19.2-252. Court ordering change of venue may admit accused to bail and recognize witnesses; remand of accused not admitted to bail

§ 19.2-253. Procedure upon and after change of venue

§ 19.2-254. Arraignment; pleas; when court may refuse to accept plea; rejection of plea agreement; recusal

§ 19.2-254.1. Procedure in traffic infraction cases

§ 19.2-254.2. Procedure in nontraffic offenses for which prepayment is authorized

§ 19.2-255. Defendant allowed to plead several matters of law or fact

§ 19.2-256. Approvers

§ 19.2-257. Trial without jury in felony cases

§ 19.2-258. Trial of misdemeanors by court without jury; failure to appear deemed waiver of jury

§ 19.2-258.1. Trial of traffic infractions; measure of proof; failure to appear

§ 19.2-259. On trial for felony, accused to be present; when court may enter plea for him, and trial go on

§ 19.2-260. Provisions of Title 8.01 apply except as provided in this article

§ 19.2-261. Charging grand jury in presence of person selected as juror

§ 19.2-262. Waiver of jury trial; numbers of jurors in criminal cases; how jurors selected from panel

§ 19.2-262.1. Joinder of defendants

§ 19.2-262.01. Voir dire examination of persons called as jurors

§ 19.2-263. Repealed

§ 19.2-263.1. Contact between judge and juror prohibited

§ 19.2-263.2. Jury instructions

§ 19.2-263.3. Juror information confidential

§ 19.2-264. When jury need not be kept together in felony case; sufficient compliance with requirement that jury be kept together

§ 19.2-264.1. Views by juries

§ 19.2-264.2. Repealed

§ 19.2-264.6. through 19.2-264.14

§ 19.2-265. Opening statement of counsel

§ 19.2-265.01. Victims, certain members of the family and support persons not to be excluded

§ 19.2-265.1. Exclusion of witnesses (Subsection (a) of Supreme Court Rule 2:615 derived in part from this section and subsection (c) of Supreme Court Rule 2:615 derived from this section)

§ 19.2-265.2. Judicial notice of laws (Supreme Court Rule 2:202 derived in part from this section)

§ 19.2-265.3. Nolle prosequi; discretion of court upon good cause shown

§ 19.2-265.4. Failure to provide discovery

§ 19.2-265.5. Prosecuting misdemeanor cases without attorney

§ 19.2-265.6. Dismissal of criminal charges on Commonwealth's motion; effect of dismissal of criminal charges

§ 19.2-266. Exclusion of persons from trial; photographs and broadcasting permitted under designated guidelines; exceptions

§ 19.2-266.1. Conviction of lesser offense on indictment for homicide

§ 19.2-266.2. Defense objections to be raised before trial; hearing; bill of particulars

§ 19.2-266.3. Continuances; appearances of parties

§ 19.2-266.4. Expert assistance for indigent defendants