At any point prior to the commencement of an adjudication hearing on a petition alleging that a child is delinquent, the court, upon request of the child with consent of the attorney for the Commonwealth, if a party to the case, may refer the delinquency charge back to the court service unit in writing and the intake officer shall proceed informally pursuant to subsection B of § 16.1-260. Upon such referral, the court shall dismiss the petition and order that the court records pertaining to the petition be expunged pursuant to subdivision C 2 of § 16.1-306.

2026, cc. 613, 614.