{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/16.1-79.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/16.1-79.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/16.1-79.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/16.1-79.html"}],"law_id":69715,"edition_id":1,"section_id":69715,"structure_id":13176,"section_number":"16.1-79","catch_line":"Actions brought on warrant","history":"1956, c. 555; 1991, c. 26; 2025, c. 349.","full_text":"A civil action in a general district court may be brought by warrant directed to the sheriff or to any other person authorized to serve process in such county or city, requiring the person against whom the claim is asserted to appear before the court on a certain day, not exceeding 90 days from the date of service thereof, to answer the complaint of the plaintiff set out in the warrant. After the warrant has been issued and delivered for service it shall not be altered, nor any blank filled, except by order of the court.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":252022,"text":"A civil action in a general district court may be brought by warrant directed to the sheriff or to any other person authorized to serve process in such county or city, requiring the person against whom the claim is asserted to appear before the court on a certain day, not exceeding 90 days from the date of service thereof, to answer the complaint of the plaintiff set out in the warrant. After the warrant has been issued and delivered for service it shall not be altered, nor any blank filled, except by order of the court.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":13176,"edition_id":1,"name":"Procedure in Civil Cases","identifier":"3","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13175,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:23","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:23","permalink":{"id":162399,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13176,"identifier":"3","token":"16.1\/6\/3","url":"\/16.1\/6\/3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13175,"edition_id":1,"name":"Venue, Jurisdiction and Procedure in Civil Matters","identifier":"6","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12700,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:23","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:23","permalink":{"id":162373,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13175,"identifier":"6","token":"16.1\/6","url":"\/16.1\/6\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12700,"edition_id":1,"name":"Courts Not of Record","identifier":"16.1","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":160919,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12700,"identifier":"16.1","token":"16.1","url":"\/16.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":73499,"structure_id":13176,"section_number":"16.1-100","catch_line":"Additional executions; by whom issued","url":"\/16.1-100\/","token":"16.1\/6\/3\/16.1-100","metadata":false},{"id":86974,"structure_id":13176,"section_number":"16.1-101","catch_line":"Proceedings against officer failing to make or making improper return","url":"\/16.1-101\/","token":"16.1\/6\/3\/16.1-101","metadata":false},{"id":86518,"structure_id":13176,"section_number":"16.1-102","catch_line":"Officers and sureties liable for money collected after return day","url":"\/16.1-102\/","token":"16.1\/6\/3\/16.1-102","metadata":false},{"id":78448,"structure_id":13176,"section_number":"16.1-103","catch_line":"Proceedings by interrogatories","url":"\/16.1-103\/","token":"16.1\/6\/3\/16.1-103","metadata":false},{"id":54194,"structure_id":13176,"section_number":"16.1-104","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/16.1-104\/","token":"16.1\/6\/3\/16.1-104","metadata":false},{"id":86498,"structure_id":13176,"section_number":"16.1-105","catch_line":"Attachments","url":"\/16.1-105\/","token":"16.1\/6\/3\/16.1-105","metadata":false},{"id":79702,"structure_id":13176,"section_number":"16.1-106","catch_line":"Appeals from courts not of record in civil cases","url":"\/16.1-106\/","token":"16.1\/6\/3\/16.1-106","metadata":false},{"id":77862,"structure_id":13176,"section_number":"16.1-106.1","catch_line":"Withdrawal of appeal in civil cases","url":"\/16.1-106.1\/","token":"16.1\/6\/3\/16.1-106.1","metadata":false},{"id":55864,"structure_id":13176,"section_number":"16.1-107","catch_line":"Requirements for appeal","url":"\/16.1-107\/","token":"16.1\/6\/3\/16.1-107","metadata":false},{"id":67526,"structure_id":13176,"section_number":"16.1-108","catch_line":"Deposit of money in lieu of bond","url":"\/16.1-108\/","token":"16.1\/6\/3\/16.1-108","metadata":false},{"id":58518,"structure_id":13176,"section_number":"16.1-109","catch_line":"Appellate court may require new or additional security","url":"\/16.1-109\/","token":"16.1\/6\/3\/16.1-109","metadata":false},{"id":71245,"structure_id":13176,"section_number":"16.1-110","catch_line":"Bankruptcy of appellant does not release surety","url":"\/16.1-110\/","token":"16.1\/6\/3\/16.1-110","metadata":false},{"id":78313,"structure_id":13176,"section_number":"16.1-111","catch_line":"Court to which appeal sent","url":"\/16.1-111\/","token":"16.1\/6\/3\/16.1-111","metadata":false},{"id":79859,"structure_id":13176,"section_number":"16.1-112","catch_line":"All papers transmitted to appellate court; 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to whom directed","url":"\/16.1-99\/","token":"16.1\/6\/3\/16.1-99","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":78717,"structure_id":13176,"section_number":"16.1-118.1","catch_line":"Destruction of papers in civil cases in certain district courts","url":"\/16.1-118.1\/","token":"16.1\/6\/3\/16.1-118.1","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":54886,"structure_id":13176,"section_number":"16.1-79.1","catch_line":"Electronic filing of civil cases","url":"\/16.1-79.1\/","token":"16.1\/6\/3\/16.1-79.1","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/16.1-79\/","history_text":"<p>This law was first created in 1956. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 555 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 1956 \u201cActs\u201d aren\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 1991, chapter 26; in 2025, chapter <a href=\"https:\/\/legacylis.virginia.gov\/cgi-bin\/legp604.exe?251+ful+CHAP0349\">349<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":56439,"section_number":"8.01-130.5","catch_line":"Procedure for trial on warrant in distress","order_by":null,"url":"\/8.01-130.5\/"},{"id":64837,"section_number":"8.01-329","catch_line":"Service of process or notice; service on Secretary of Commonwealth","order_by":null,"url":"\/8.01-329\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":162489,"object_type":"law","relational_id":69715,"identifier":"16.1-79","token":"16.1\/6\/3\/16.1-79","url":"\/16.1-79\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/16.1-79\/","token":"16.1\/6\/3\/16.1-79","dublin_core":{"Title":"Actions brought on warrant","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 16.1-79","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section><p>A <span class=\"dictionary\">civil action<\/span> in a general district <span class=\"dictionary\">court<\/span> may be brought by warrant directed to the sheriff or to any other person authorized to serve process in such county or city, requiring the person against whom the claim is asserted to appear before the <span class=\"dictionary\">court<\/span> on a certain day, not exceeding 90 days from the date of service thereof, to answer the complaint of the <span class=\"dictionary\">plaintiff<\/span> set out in the warrant. After the warrant has been issued and delivered for service it shall not be altered, nor any blank filled, except by <span class=\"dictionary\">order<\/span> of the <span class=\"dictionary\">court<\/span>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":"                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nACTIONS BROUGHT ON WARRANT (\u00a7 16.1-79)\n\nA civil action in a general district court may be brought by warrant directed to\nthe sheriff or to any other person authorized to serve process in such county or\ncity, requiring the person against whom the claim is asserted to appear before\nthe court on a certain day, not exceeding 90 days from the date of service\nthereof, to answer the complaint of the plaintiff set out in the warrant. After\nthe warrant has been issued and delivered for service it shall not be altered,\nnor any blank filled, except by order of the court.\n\nHISTORY: 1956, c. 555; 1991, c. 26; 2025, c. 349.","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}}