CHAPTER 266

AN ACT to amend and reenact § 14-181 of the Code of 1930 re-
lating to compensation of attorneys appointed to defend cer-
tain persons so as to require the State to pay such compen-
sation,

[S 10]

Approved April 4, 1950

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 14-181 of the Code of 1950 be amended and reenacted,
as follows:

§ 14-181. Compensation of attorneys appointed to defend poor
persons.—When a judge of the circuit court of a county or city
or a corporation or hustings court of a city appoints an attorney
to defend a poor person charged with an offense that may be pun-
ishable by death, or by confinement in the penitentiary for a period
of more than ten years, he may direct that a sum of money not
to exceed * forty dollars shall be paid out * by the Common-
wealth to the attorney so appointed to defend such person as com-
pensation for such defense, and when such person is charged with
the commission of a felony other than those mentioned the court
may in its discretion direct the payment of a sum not to exceed
fifteen dollars payable as aforesaid. When such direction is en-
tered upon the order book of the court, the * Commonwealth shall
provide for the payment out of its treasury of the sum of money
so specified. If the defendant is convicted, the amount allowed by
the court to the attorney appointed to defend him shall be taxed
against the defendant as a part of the costs of the prosecution,
and if collected, the same shall be paid to the Commonwealth.