The laws of Virginia are codified in the Code of Virginia. It has been recodified several times, most recently in 1950, which is why each volume has “Code of Virginia 1950” on the cover.
You can access the Code of Virginia at the law library and at most of the area libraries. If you have Internet access you can access the Code online by visiting the Virginia General Assembly
website.
The Code is kept up to date with replacement volumes and annual supplements, which should be checked for the latest changes. Most of the supplements, called “pocket parts,” are inserted inside the back cover of the book; other supplements are freestanding paperback books.
The Code of Virginia is organized into titles by general subject matter. The titles generally are arranged alphabetically and numbered 1 through 67. The titles contained in each volume of the Code are printed on the spine of the book. Titles may be further divided into chapters and articles. A Table of Titles is found at the beginning of each Code volume.
Code sections are identified by two-part, hyphenated numbers: the first part identifies the title in which the section is found; the second part identifies the section within that title. For example, section 4.1-100 is the first section in Title 4.1.
Whether you access the Code in print or online, at the end of each section, you’ll find a set of numbers and symbols in parentheses, such as: (Code 1950 §38-270, 1968 c. 540, 1987 cc. 219, 607). The symbol § simply means section, and these parenthetical references represent the legislative history of the Code section. In this case, the law was codified in the 1950 Code as Section (§) 38-270, then amended in 1968 and 1987.