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Upon the effective date of the transition from city to town status, all criminal prosecutions then pending therein, whether by indictment, warrant or other complaint, and all suits, actions, motions, warrants, and other proceedings of a civil nature, with all the records of the courts of the city, shall stand ipso facto removed to the courts of concurrent or like jurisdiction of the appropriate county. The circuit and other courts having courthouses and records in and jurisdiction over the city shall, at some convenient time, as closely preceding the period of removal as practicable, by formal orders entered of record, direct the removal of all such causes and proceedings, civil and criminal, to the court or courts of concurrent or like jurisdiction of the county. The clerk of the court or courts to which the causes and proceedings have been removed shall thereupon proceed as in other cases of removal or changes of venue and such matters shall be docketed and handled as though initially filed in such court or courts. At the same time such clerk or clerks shall also deliver to the proper clerk or clerks of the county all the deed books, order or minute books, execution dockets, judgment dockets and other records of his office, of whatever kind or nature. The clerk or clerks of the court or courts to which the records are removed shall take charge of and preserve the records for reference and use in the same manner and with the same effect as though they were original records of his office. 1988, c. 881, § 15.1-965.26; 1997, c. 587; 2005, c. 681 .
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