Virginia Code 9.1-1106: Disposal of certain hazardous materials.
Any material that is seized in any criminal investigation and that is deemed to be hazardous to health and safety, may be disposed of upon written application of the Department to the attorney for the Commonwealth in the city or county where the material is seized or where any criminal prosecution in which the material is proposed to be evidence is pending. Upon receipt thereof, the attorney for the Commonwealth shall file the application in the circuit court of such county or city. A sworn analysis report signed by a person designated by the Director of the Department shall accompany the application for disposal and shall clearly identify and designate the material to be disposed of. The application shall state the nature of the hazardous materials, the quantity thereof, the location where seized, the person from whom the materials were seized, and the manner whereby the materials shall be destroyed.
Terms Used In Virginia Code 9.1-1106
- City: means an independent incorporated community which became a city as provided by law before noon on July 1, 1971, or which has within defined boundaries a population of 5,000 or more and which has become a city as provided by law. See Virginia Code 1-208
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- 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
- State: when applied to a part of the United States, includes any of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands. See Virginia Code 1-245
- sworn: means "affirm" or "affirmed. See Virginia Code 1-250
When the ownership of the hazardous material is known, notice shall be given to the owner at least three days prior to any hearing relating to the destruction, and, if any criminal charge is pending in any court as a result of the seizure, the notice shall be given to the accused if other than the owner.
Upon receipt of the analysis report and the application, the court may order the destruction of all, or a part of, the material. However, a sufficient and representative quantity of the material shall be retained to permit an independent analysis when a criminal prosecution may result from the seizure. A return under oath, reporting the time, place, and manner of destruction, shall be made to the courts. Copies of the analysis report, application, order, and return shall be made a part of the record of any criminal prosecution. The sworn analysis report shall be admissible as evidence to the same extent as the disposed-of material would have been admissible.