Legal Question in Civil Litigation in Virginia

Re: returned check

You talk about "charges" but your category is in general civil litigation. Are you talking about criminal charges, or a civil claim for 3 times the amount of the check, or what?

If you are talking about criminal charges, you should get a lawyer and fight this hard. It is a lot easier to put in a little extra effort now than to live with a record for the rest of your life. The statute is:

� 18.2-183. Issuance of bad check prima facie evidence of intent and knowledge; notice by certified or registered mail.

In any prosecution or action under the preceding sections, the making or drawing or uttering or delivery of a check, draft, or order, payment of which is refused by the drawee because of lack of funds or credit shall be prima facie evidence of intent to defraud or of knowledge of insufficient funds in, or credit with, such bank, banking institution, trust company or other depository unless such maker or drawer, or someone for him, shall have paid the holder thereof the amount due thereon, together with interest, and protest fees (if any), within five days after receiving written notice that such check, draft, or order has not been paid to the holder thereof. Notice mailed by certified or registered mail, evidenced by return receipt, to the last known address of the maker or drawer shall be deemed sufficient and equivalent to notice having been received by the maker or drawer.

If such check, draft or order shows on its face a printed or written address, home, office, or otherwise, of the maker or drawer, then the foregoing notice, when sent by certified or registered mail to such address, with or without return receipt requested, shall be deemed sufficient and equivalent to notice having been received by the maker or drawer, whether such notice shall be returned undelivered or not.

When a check is drawn on a bank in which the maker or drawer has no account, it shall be presumed that such check was issued with intent to defraud, and the five-day notice set forth above shall not be required in such case.

Re: returned check

Yes, you will find these requirements spelled out in Va. Code Sec. 18.2-183-185 portion of the Bad Check Law statutes.