{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/15.2-3804.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/15.2-3804.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/15.2-3804.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/15.2-3804.html"}],"law_id":84061,"edition_id":1,"section_id":84061,"structure_id":13063,"section_number":"15.2-3804","catch_line":"Parties","history":"1979, c. 85, \u00a7 15.1-982.4; 1997, c. 587.","full_text":"In any proceeding instituted under the provisions of this chapter, the county or counties in which the town is situated shall be made party to the case. Any voter or property owner of the town or county or counties in which the town is situated may by petition become party to the proceeding. Any locality with a common boundary or other person affected by the proceeding may appear and shall be made party to the case.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":301240,"text":"In any proceeding instituted under the provisions of this chapter, the county or counties in which the town is situated shall be made party to the case. Any voter or property owner of the town or county or counties in which the town is situated may by petition become party to the proceeding. Any locality with a common boundary or other person affected by the proceeding may appear and shall be made party to the case.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":13063,"edition_id":1,"name":"Transition of Towns to Cities","identifier":"38","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13062,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:12","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:12","permalink":{"id":157557,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13063,"identifier":"38","token":"15.2\/III\/38","url":"\/15.2\/III\/38\/","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":80368,"structure_id":13063,"section_number":"15.2-3800","catch_line":"Ordinance petitioning court for city status; appointment of special court","url":"\/15.2-3800\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3800","metadata":false},{"id":59085,"structure_id":13063,"section_number":"15.2-3801","catch_line":"Referendum","url":"\/15.2-3801\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3801","metadata":false},{"id":80173,"structure_id":13063,"section_number":"15.2-3802","catch_line":"Town and county agreement concerning proposed city","url":"\/15.2-3802\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3802","metadata":false},{"id":66107,"structure_id":13063,"section_number":"15.2-3803","catch_line":"Notice of motion; service and publication; answer or other pleading","url":"\/15.2-3803\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3803","metadata":false},{"id":84061,"structure_id":13063,"section_number":"15.2-3804","catch_line":"Parties","url":"\/15.2-3804\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3804","metadata":false},{"id":72646,"structure_id":13063,"section_number":"15.2-3805","catch_line":"Time limit for intervenors; publication of order","url":"\/15.2-3805\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3805","metadata":false},{"id":71867,"structure_id":13063,"section_number":"15.2-3806","catch_line":"Pretrial conference; matters considered","url":"\/15.2-3806\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3806","metadata":false},{"id":83950,"structure_id":13063,"section_number":"15.2-3807","catch_line":"Hearing and decision by court","url":"\/15.2-3807\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3807","metadata":false},{"id":67826,"structure_id":13063,"section_number":"15.2-3808","catch_line":"Assistance of state agencies","url":"\/15.2-3808\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3808","metadata":false},{"id":62141,"structure_id":13063,"section_number":"15.2-3809","catch_line":"Appeals","url":"\/15.2-3809\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3809","metadata":false},{"id":86663,"structure_id":13063,"section_number":"15.2-3810","catch_line":"Declining of grant of city status","url":"\/15.2-3810\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3810","metadata":false},{"id":68815,"structure_id":13063,"section_number":"15.2-3811","catch_line":"Proceeding final for three years","url":"\/15.2-3811\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3811","metadata":false},{"id":61530,"structure_id":13063,"section_number":"15.2-3812","catch_line":"Effect when town becomes city","url":"\/15.2-3812\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3812","metadata":false},{"id":70595,"structure_id":13063,"section_number":"15.2-3813","catch_line":"Town liabilities and assets","url":"\/15.2-3813\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3813","metadata":false},{"id":69704,"structure_id":13063,"section_number":"15.2-3814","catch_line":"Mayor of town to continue in office","url":"\/15.2-3814\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3814","metadata":false},{"id":59418,"structure_id":13063,"section_number":"15.2-3815","catch_line":"Council of town to continue in office; additional members","url":"\/15.2-3815\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3815","metadata":false},{"id":56370,"structure_id":13063,"section_number":"15.2-3816","catch_line":"Town treasurer to continue in office; appointment where town had no treasurer","url":"\/15.2-3816\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3816","metadata":false},{"id":87034,"structure_id":13063,"section_number":"15.2-3817","catch_line":"Commissioner of revenue or assessor to continue in office; appointment where town had no commissioner or assessor","url":"\/15.2-3817\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3817","metadata":false},{"id":74687,"structure_id":13063,"section_number":"15.2-3818","catch_line":"Town sergeant to continue in office","url":"\/15.2-3818\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3818","metadata":false},{"id":84553,"structure_id":13063,"section_number":"15.2-3819","catch_line":"Election and terms of office of mayor and councilmen after town becomes city","url":"\/15.2-3819\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3819","metadata":false},{"id":54116,"structure_id":13063,"section_number":"15.2-3820","catch_line":"Election and terms of other city officers","url":"\/15.2-3820\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3820","metadata":false},{"id":58702,"structure_id":13063,"section_number":"15.2-3821","catch_line":"Qualification of officers; vacancies","url":"\/15.2-3821\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3821","metadata":false},{"id":78502,"structure_id":13063,"section_number":"15.2-3822","catch_line":"Sharing of offices; transfer of jurisdiction","url":"\/15.2-3822\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3822","metadata":false},{"id":71166,"structure_id":13063,"section_number":"15.2-3823","catch_line":"Tenure and reelection of county officer whose homesite becomes part of city","url":"\/15.2-3823\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3823","metadata":false},{"id":66773,"structure_id":13063,"section_number":"15.2-3824","catch_line":"Town officers","url":"\/15.2-3824\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3824","metadata":false},{"id":71501,"structure_id":13063,"section_number":"15.2-3825","catch_line":"Courts","url":"\/15.2-3825\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3825","metadata":false},{"id":66417,"structure_id":13063,"section_number":"15.2-3826","catch_line":"Appointment of electoral board, sheriff, attorney for the Commonwealth and circuit court clerk","url":"\/15.2-3826\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3826","metadata":false},{"id":78169,"structure_id":13063,"section_number":"15.2-3827","catch_line":"Transfer of assessments to city books","url":"\/15.2-3827\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3827","metadata":false},{"id":61596,"structure_id":13063,"section_number":"15.2-3828","catch_line":"State, county and district taxes accruing before transition; county sales and use tax becomes city sales and use tax","url":"\/15.2-3828\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3828","metadata":false},{"id":61008,"structure_id":13063,"section_number":"15.2-3829","catch_line":"Assumption of debt; adjustment","url":"\/15.2-3829\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3829","metadata":false},{"id":69691,"structure_id":13063,"section_number":"15.2-3830","catch_line":"Certain costs and expenses to be apportioned between city and county","url":"\/15.2-3830\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3830","metadata":false},{"id":62813,"structure_id":13063,"section_number":"15.2-3831","catch_line":"Registrars and their duties","url":"\/15.2-3831\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3831","metadata":false},{"id":72807,"structure_id":13063,"section_number":"15.2-3832","catch_line":"Authority to city to provide by condemnation, etc., water, light, power and fuel","url":"\/15.2-3832\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3832","metadata":false},{"id":80329,"structure_id":13063,"section_number":"15.2-3833","catch_line":"Chapter not applicable to cities already existing","url":"\/15.2-3833\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3833","metadata":false},{"id":69864,"structure_id":13063,"section_number":"15.2-3834","catch_line":"Congressional, etc., districts and judicial circuit not changed","url":"\/15.2-3834\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3834","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":66107,"structure_id":13063,"section_number":"15.2-3803","catch_line":"Notice of motion; service and publication; answer or other pleading","url":"\/15.2-3803\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3803","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":72646,"structure_id":13063,"section_number":"15.2-3805","catch_line":"Time limit for intervenors; publication of order","url":"\/15.2-3805\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3805","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/15.2-3804\/","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":157575,"object_type":"law","relational_id":84061,"identifier":"15.2-3804","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3804","url":"\/15.2-3804\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/15.2-3804\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3804","dublin_core":{"Title":"Parties","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 15.2-3804","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section><p>In any proceeding instituted under the provisions of this chapter, the <span class=\"dictionary\">county<\/span> or counties in which the <span class=\"dictionary\">town<\/span> is situated shall be made <span class=\"dictionary\">party<\/span> to the case. Any <span class=\"dictionary\">voter<\/span> or property owner of the <span class=\"dictionary\">town<\/span> or <span class=\"dictionary\">county<\/span> or counties in which the <span class=\"dictionary\">town<\/span> is situated may by <span class=\"dictionary\">petition<\/span> become <span class=\"dictionary\">party<\/span> to the proceeding. Any <span class=\"dictionary\">locality<\/span> with a common boundary or other person affected by the proceeding may appear and shall be made <span class=\"dictionary\">party<\/span> to the case.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":"                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPARTIES (\u00a7 15.2-3804)\n\nIn any proceeding instituted under the provisions of this chapter, the county or\ncounties in which the town is situated shall be made party to the case. Any\nvoter or property owner of the town or county or counties in which the town is\nsituated may by petition become party to the proceeding. Any locality with a\ncommon boundary or other person affected by the proceeding may appear and shall\nbe made party to the case.\n\nHISTORY: 1979, c. 85, \u00a7 15.1-982.4; 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}}