{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/15.2-4000.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/15.2-4000.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/15.2-4000.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/15.2-4000.html"}],"law_id":75370,"edition_id":1,"section_id":75370,"structure_id":15383,"section_number":"15.2-4000","catch_line":"Enjoyment of city status until requirements of chapter fulfilled","history":"1971, Ex. Sess., c. 140, \u00a7 15.1-965.1; 1988, c. 881; 1997, c. 587.","full_text":"A city which no longer qualifies for city status under Article VII, Section 1 of the Constitution of Virginia shall change to town status under the provisions of this chapter. Until the court enters an order under \u00a7 15.2-4004 for such change, a city shall enjoy all the rights and obligations of city status.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":270533,"text":"A city which no longer qualifies for city status under Article VII, Section 1 of the Constitution of Virginia shall change to town status under the provisions of this chapter. Until the court enters an order under \u00a7 15.2-4004 for such change, a city shall enjoy all the rights and obligations of city status.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":15383,"edition_id":1,"name":"Judicial Determination of City Status","identifier":"40","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13062,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:54:28","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:54:28","permalink":{"id":157781,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15383,"identifier":"40","token":"15.2\/III\/40","url":"\/15.2\/III\/40\/","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":75370,"structure_id":15383,"section_number":"15.2-4000","catch_line":"Enjoyment of city status until requirements of chapter fulfilled","url":"\/15.2-4000\/","token":"15.2\/III\/40\/15.2-4000","metadata":false},{"id":64203,"structure_id":15383,"section_number":"15.2-4001","catch_line":"Investigation by Commission on Local Government; certification of findings to governing body","url":"\/15.2-4001\/","token":"15.2\/III\/40\/15.2-4001","metadata":false},{"id":83592,"structure_id":15383,"section_number":"15.2-4002","catch_line":"Report from Commission to be certified to circuit court; appointment of special court","url":"\/15.2-4002\/","token":"15.2\/III\/40\/15.2-4002","metadata":false},{"id":58569,"structure_id":15383,"section_number":"15.2-4003","catch_line":"Investigation by special court; public hearing","url":"\/15.2-4003\/","token":"15.2\/III\/40\/15.2-4003","metadata":false},{"id":78572,"structure_id":15383,"section_number":"15.2-4004","catch_line":"Determination of city status","url":"\/15.2-4004\/","token":"15.2\/III\/40\/15.2-4004","metadata":false},{"id":66880,"structure_id":15383,"section_number":"15.2-4005","catch_line":"Effect when city becomes town; officers","url":"\/15.2-4005\/","token":"15.2\/III\/40\/15.2-4005","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":64203,"structure_id":15383,"section_number":"15.2-4001","catch_line":"Investigation by Commission on Local Government; certification of findings to governing body","url":"\/15.2-4001\/","token":"15.2\/III\/40\/15.2-4001","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/15.2-4000\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 2 times. 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. Those modifications are as follows: in 1988, chapter 881; in 1997, chapter 587<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":85081,"section_number":"15.2-3000","catch_line":"Special court to hear certain cases","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-3000\/"},{"id":79307,"section_number":"36-132.1","catch_line":"Commission on Local Government","order_by":null,"url":"\/36-132.1\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":78572,"section_number":"15.2-4004","catch_line":"Determination of city status","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-4004\/"}],"permalink":{"id":157783,"object_type":"law","relational_id":75370,"identifier":"15.2-4000","token":"15.2\/III\/40\/15.2-4000","url":"\/15.2-4000\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/15.2-4000\/","token":"15.2\/III\/40\/15.2-4000","dublin_core":{"Title":"Enjoyment of city status until requirements of chapter fulfilled","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 15.2-4000","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A city<\/span> which no longer qualifies for city<\/span> status under Article VII, Section 1 of the Constitution of Virginia shall change to town<\/span> status under the provisions of this chapter. Until the court<\/span> enters an order<\/span> under \u00a7 15.2-4004<\/a> for such change, a city<\/span> shall enjoy all the rights and obligations of city<\/span> status.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nENJOYMENT OF CITY STATUS UNTIL REQUIREMENTS OF CHAPTER FULFILLED (\u00a7 15.2-4000)\n\nA city which no longer qualifies for city status under Article VII, Section 1 of\nthe Constitution of Virginia shall change to town status under the provisions of\nthis chapter. Until the court enters an order under \u00a7 15.2-4004 for such\nchange, a city shall enjoy all the rights and obligations of city status.\n\nHISTORY: 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 140, \u00a7 15.1-965.1; 1988, c. 881; 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}}