A Virginia Order of Continuance is a legal document issued by a court in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is used to stay or suspend a lawsuit or criminal prosecution for a set period of time, usually due to a defendant's pending appeal or motion for a new trial. It may also be used to stay proceedings in a civil case or to extend a defendant's time to file a pleading or motion. There are two types of Virginia Order of Continuance: a Temporary Order of Continuance (TOC) and a Permanent Order of Continuance (POC). The TOC is usually issued for a set period of time, while the POC is issued indefinitely until the stay is lifted by the court.