Chap. 8.—An ACT to amend and re-enact sections 20 and 21 of chapter
165 of the Code of Virginia (edition of 1873), in relation to special
terms of Circuit courts.

Approved December 19, 1874.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia,
That sections twenty and twenty-one of chapter one hun-
dred and fifty-five of the Code of Virginia of eighteen hun-
dred and seventy-three, be amended and re-enacted so as to
read as follows:

§ 20. Whenever the situation of a prisoner confined in
jail for trial, in a circuit court, makes it proper that his case
should be disposed of before the next regular term thereof;
or whenever, in the judgment of the judge of such court, it
is expedient to hold a special term for the trial of any cause
depending in such court, or upon issues made up by consent
of parties, the said.judge may appoint a special term to be
holden for the trial of such case or cases, in the same man-
ner as if the same had stood for trial. at tho next precedin
term, and the court had adjourned without disposing thereof

§ 21. At any such special term, any civil cause may be
tried which could lawfully have been, but was not, tried at
the last preceding term that was or should have been held;
and any motion cognizable by such court may be heard and
determined, whether it was pending at the preceding term
or not; and any criminal cause may be tried at such special
term as if it were a regular term, and although at the regu-
lar term next preceding the same may have been continued ;
and any cause or matter of controversy, at law or in chan-
cery, then ready for hearing, or which may be made ready
by consfnt of the parties, may, with the consent of. the par-
ties to such cause or controversy, be heard and determined,
although it could not lawfully have been heard at the next
preceding term that was or should have-been held. Every
such special term may be held by the judge of the circuit,
or, if he be dead or absent, by any other circuit judge who
may be present; and it may be held, part of its session by
one judge and part of it by another; and such special terms
may be adjourned from time to time, during the intervals
between the regular terms, as to the judge may seem netes-
sary for the dispatch of the business of the court.
2. This act shall be in force from its passage.