When an indictment or presentment is found or made, or information filed, the court, or the judge thereof, shall award process against the accused to answer the same, if he be not in custody. Such process, if the prosecution be for a felony, shall be a capias; if it be for a misdemeanor, for which imprisonment may be imposed, it may be a capias or summons, in the discretion of the court or judge; in all other cases, it shall be, in the first instance a summons, but if a summons be returned executed and the defendant does not appear, or be returned not found, the court or judge may award a capias. The officer serving the summons or capias shall also serve a copy of the indictment, presentment, or information therewith.

If the accused is in custody when an indictment or presentment is found or made, or information is filed, and no process is awarded, the attorney for the Commonwealth shall so notify the court of such at the time of first appearance for each indictment, presentment, or information for which a report is required upon arrest pursuant to subsection A of § 19.2-390, and the court shall order that the fingerprints and photograph of the accused be taken for each offense by a law-enforcement officer or by the agency that has custody of the accused at the time of first appearance. The law-enforcement officer or agency taking the fingerprints and photograph shall submit a report to the Central Criminal Records Exchange for each offense pursuant to subsection A of § 19.2-390.

Code 1950, § 19.1-178; 1960, c. 366; 1975, c. 495; 1980, c. 349; 2019, cc. 782, 783.