{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/15.2-3527.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/15.2-3527.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/15.2-3527.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/15.2-3527.html"}],"law_id":81937,"edition_id":1,"section_id":81937,"structure_id":13191,"section_number":"15.2-3527","catch_line":"Assistance of state agencies","history":"1979, c. 85, \u00a7 15.1-1130.9; 1997, c. 587.","full_text":"The court may, in its discretion, direct any appropriate state agency, in addition to the Commission on Local Government, to gather and present evidence, including statistical data and exhibits, for the court, to be subject to the usual rules of evidence. The court shall determine the actual expense of preparing such evidence, and shall tax such expense as costs in the case; the costs shall be paid by the clerk into the general fund of the state treasury and credited to the agency furnishing the evidence.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":293585,"text":"The court may, in its discretion, direct any appropriate state agency, in addition to the Commission on Local Government, to gather and present evidence, including statistical data and exhibits, for the court, to be subject to the usual rules of evidence. The court shall determine the actual expense of preparing such evidence, and shall tax such expense as costs in the case; the costs shall be paid by the clerk into the general fund of the state treasury and credited to the agency furnishing the evidence.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":13191,"edition_id":1,"name":"Consolidation of Certain Counties, Cities and Towns","identifier":"2","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13098,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:25","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:25","permalink":{"id":157351,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13191,"identifier":"2","token":"15.2\/III\/35\/2","url":"\/15.2\/III\/35\/2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13098,"edition_id":1,"name":"Consolidation of Localities","identifier":"35","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13062,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:17","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:17","permalink":{"id":157267,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13098,"identifier":"35","token":"15.2\/III\/35","url":"\/15.2\/III\/35\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13062,"edition_id":1,"name":"Boundary Adjustments and Changes of Status of Counties, Cities and Towns","identifier":"III","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12720,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:12","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:12","permalink":{"id":156919,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13062,"identifier":"III","token":"15.2\/III","url":"\/15.2\/III\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12720,"edition_id":1,"name":"Counties, Cities and Towns","identifier":"15.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","permalink":{"id":151279,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12720,"identifier":"15.2","token":"15.2","url":"\/15.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":62773,"structure_id":13191,"section_number":"15.2-3520","catch_line":"Counties, cities and towns specified; alternative consolidations","url":"\/15.2-3520\/","token":"15.2\/III\/35\/2\/15.2-3520","metadata":false},{"id":76869,"structure_id":13191,"section_number":"15.2-3521","catch_line":"Proposed consolidated city; notice of motion; service and publication","url":"\/15.2-3521\/","token":"15.2\/III\/35\/2\/15.2-3521","metadata":false},{"id":76330,"structure_id":13191,"section_number":"15.2-3522","catch_line":"Petition; appointment of special court","url":"\/15.2-3522\/","token":"15.2\/III\/35\/2\/15.2-3522","metadata":false},{"id":77723,"structure_id":13191,"section_number":"15.2-3523","catch_line":"Parties","url":"\/15.2-3523\/","token":"15.2\/III\/35\/2\/15.2-3523","metadata":false},{"id":56869,"structure_id":13191,"section_number":"15.2-3524","catch_line":"Time limit for intervenors","url":"\/15.2-3524\/","token":"15.2\/III\/35\/2\/15.2-3524","metadata":false},{"id":63758,"structure_id":13191,"section_number":"15.2-3525","catch_line":"Pretrial conference; matters considered","url":"\/15.2-3525\/","token":"15.2\/III\/35\/2\/15.2-3525","metadata":false},{"id":72751,"structure_id":13191,"section_number":"15.2-3526","catch_line":"Hearing and decision by court","url":"\/15.2-3526\/","token":"15.2\/III\/35\/2\/15.2-3526","metadata":false},{"id":81937,"structure_id":13191,"section_number":"15.2-3527","catch_line":"Assistance of state agencies","url":"\/15.2-3527\/","token":"15.2\/III\/35\/2\/15.2-3527","metadata":false},{"id":74300,"structure_id":13191,"section_number":"15.2-3528","catch_line":"Appeals","url":"\/15.2-3528\/","token":"15.2\/III\/35\/2\/15.2-3528","metadata":false},{"id":67012,"structure_id":13191,"section_number":"15.2-3529","catch_line":"Consolidation agreement generally; advisory committee; filing agreement and referendum petition with court","url":"\/15.2-3529\/","token":"15.2\/III\/35\/2\/15.2-3529","metadata":false},{"id":57135,"structure_id":13191,"section_number":"15.2-3530","catch_line":"Continuation of services of Department of Transportation after consolidation","url":"\/15.2-3530\/","token":"15.2\/III\/35\/2\/15.2-3530","metadata":false},{"id":66517,"structure_id":13191,"section_number":"15.2-3531","catch_line":"Voters' petition requesting consolidation agreement and referendum","url":"\/15.2-3531\/","token":"15.2\/III\/35\/2\/15.2-3531","metadata":false},{"id":80311,"structure_id":13191,"section_number":"15.2-3532","catch_line":"Required provisions of consolidation agreement","url":"\/15.2-3532\/","token":"15.2\/III\/35\/2\/15.2-3532","metadata":false},{"id":54885,"structure_id":13191,"section_number":"15.2-3533","catch_line":"Transfer of property and indebtedness","url":"\/15.2-3533\/","token":"15.2\/III\/35\/2\/15.2-3533","metadata":false},{"id":57984,"structure_id":13191,"section_number":"15.2-3534","catch_line":"Optional provisions of consolidation agreement","url":"\/15.2-3534\/","token":"15.2\/III\/35\/2\/15.2-3534","metadata":false},{"id":55792,"structure_id":13191,"section_number":"15.2-3535","catch_line":"Advertising of charter","url":"\/15.2-3535\/","token":"15.2\/III\/35\/2\/15.2-3535","metadata":false},{"id":58929,"structure_id":13191,"section_number":"15.2-3536","catch_line":"Charter for consolidated city","url":"\/15.2-3536\/","token":"15.2\/III\/35\/2\/15.2-3536","metadata":false},{"id":74992,"structure_id":13191,"section_number":"15.2-3537","catch_line":"Publication of consolidation agreement","url":"\/15.2-3537\/","token":"15.2\/III\/35\/2\/15.2-3537","metadata":false},{"id":57289,"structure_id":13191,"section_number":"15.2-3538","catch_line":"Order for election","url":"\/15.2-3538\/","token":"15.2\/III\/35\/2\/15.2-3538","metadata":false},{"id":76047,"structure_id":13191,"section_number":"15.2-3539","catch_line":"Conduct of election","url":"\/15.2-3539\/","token":"15.2\/III\/35\/2\/15.2-3539","metadata":false},{"id":87413,"structure_id":13191,"section_number":"15.2-3540","catch_line":"Result of elections; determination of form of government","url":"\/15.2-3540\/","token":"15.2\/III\/35\/2\/15.2-3540","metadata":false},{"id":85286,"structure_id":13191,"section_number":"15.2-3541","catch_line":"General effect of consolidation; officers","url":"\/15.2-3541\/","token":"15.2\/III\/35\/2\/15.2-3541","metadata":false},{"id":84944,"structure_id":13191,"section_number":"15.2-3542","catch_line":"Governing body to be elected and take office before effective date of consolidation in certain cases; powers","url":"\/15.2-3542\/","token":"15.2\/III\/35\/2\/15.2-3542","metadata":false},{"id":67281,"structure_id":13191,"section_number":"15.2-3543","catch_line":"Electoral board, general registrar and officers of election","url":"\/15.2-3543\/","token":"15.2\/III\/35\/2\/15.2-3543","metadata":false},{"id":54206,"structure_id":13191,"section_number":"15.2-3544","catch_line":"Effect on pending suits","url":"\/15.2-3544\/","token":"15.2\/III\/35\/2\/15.2-3544","metadata":false},{"id":66202,"structure_id":13191,"section_number":"15.2-3545","catch_line":"Effect on assembly districts","url":"\/15.2-3545\/","token":"15.2\/III\/35\/2\/15.2-3545","metadata":false},{"id":81817,"structure_id":13191,"section_number":"15.2-3546","catch_line":"Effect on jurisdiction of courts","url":"\/15.2-3546\/","token":"15.2\/III\/35\/2\/15.2-3546","metadata":false},{"id":60743,"structure_id":13191,"section_number":"15.2-3547","catch_line":"Consolidation of entire county requires no action of town council","url":"\/15.2-3547\/","token":"15.2\/III\/35\/2\/15.2-3547","metadata":false},{"id":82967,"structure_id":13191,"section_number":"15.2-3548","catch_line":"Effect on town charter","url":"\/15.2-3548\/","token":"15.2\/III\/35\/2\/15.2-3548","metadata":false},{"id":66812,"structure_id":13191,"section_number":"15.2-3549","catch_line":"Powers of a tier-city","url":"\/15.2-3549\/","token":"15.2\/III\/35\/2\/15.2-3549","metadata":false},{"id":77012,"structure_id":13191,"section_number":"15.2-3550","catch_line":"Effect of consolidation into single county; exceptions for tier-city","url":"\/15.2-3550\/","token":"15.2\/III\/35\/2\/15.2-3550","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":72751,"structure_id":13191,"section_number":"15.2-3526","catch_line":"Hearing and decision by court","url":"\/15.2-3526\/","token":"15.2\/III\/35\/2\/15.2-3526","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":74300,"structure_id":13191,"section_number":"15.2-3528","catch_line":"Appeals","url":"\/15.2-3528\/","token":"15.2\/III\/35\/2\/15.2-3528","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/15.2-3527\/","history_text":"<p>This law was first created in 1979. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 85 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1979 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 1 time. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. That modification is as follows: in 1997, chapter <a href=\"https:\/\/legacylis.virginia.gov\/cgi-bin\/legp604.exe?971+ful+CHAP0587\">587<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":157381,"object_type":"law","relational_id":81937,"identifier":"15.2-3527","token":"15.2\/III\/35\/2\/15.2-3527","url":"\/15.2-3527\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/15.2-3527\/","token":"15.2\/III\/35\/2\/15.2-3527","dublin_core":{"Title":"Assistance of state agencies","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 15.2-3527","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section><p>The <span class=\"dictionary\">court<\/span> may, in its discretion, direct any appropriate state agency, in addition to the Commission on <span class=\"dictionary\">Local Government<\/span>, to gather and present <span class=\"dictionary\">evidence<\/span>, including statistical data and exhibits, for the <span class=\"dictionary\">court<\/span>, to be subject to the usual rules of <span class=\"dictionary\">evidence<\/span>. The <span class=\"dictionary\">court<\/span> shall determine the actual expense of preparing such <span class=\"dictionary\">evidence<\/span>, and shall tax such expense as costs in the case; the costs shall be paid by the clerk into the general fund of the state treasury and credited to the agency furnishing the <span class=\"dictionary\">evidence<\/span>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":"                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nASSISTANCE OF STATE AGENCIES (\u00a7 15.2-3527)\n\nThe court may, in its discretion, direct any appropriate state agency, in\naddition to the Commission on Local Government, to gather and present evidence,\nincluding statistical data and exhibits, for the court, to be subject to the\nusual rules of evidence. The court shall determine the actual expense of\npreparing such evidence, and shall tax such expense as costs in the case; the\ncosts shall be paid by the clerk into the general fund of the state treasury and\ncredited to the agency furnishing the evidence.\n\nHISTORY: 1979, c. 85, \u00a7 15.1-1130.9; 1997, c. 587.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}