{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/2.2-3809.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/2.2-3809.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/2.2-3809.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/2.2-3809.html"}],"law_id":80323,"edition_id":1,"section_id":80323,"structure_id":13559,"section_number":"2.2-3809","catch_line":"Injunctive relief; civil penalty; attorneys’ fees","history":"1976, c. 597, \u00a7 2.1-386; 2001, c. 844; 2008, cc. 840, 843.","full_text":"Any aggrieved person may institute a proceeding for injunction or mandamus against any person or agency that has engaged, is engaged, or is about to engage in any acts or practices in violation of the provisions of this chapter. The proceeding shall be brought in the district or circuit court of any county or city where the aggrieved person resides or where the agency made defendant has a place of business.\n\t\tIn the case of any successful proceeding by an aggrieved party, the agency enjoined or made subject to a writ of mandamus by the court shall be liable for the costs of the action together with reasonable attorneys’ fees as determined by the court.\n\t\tIn addition, if the court finds that a violation of subsection A of \u00a7 2.2-3808 was willfully and knowingly made by a specific public officer, appointee, or employee of any agency, the court may impose upon such individual a civil penalty of not less than $250 nor more than $1,000, which amount shall be paid into the State Literary Fund. For a second or subsequent violation, such civil penalty shall be not less than $1,000 nor more than $2,500. For a violation of subsection A of \u00a7 2.2-3808 by any agency, the court may impose a civil penalty of not less than $250 nor more than $1,000, which amount shall be paid into the State Literary Fund. For a second or subsequent violation, such civil penalty shall be not less than $1,000 nor more than $2,500.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":287515,"text":"Any aggrieved person may institute a proceeding for injunction or mandamus against any person or agency that has engaged, is engaged, or is about to engage in any acts or practices in violation of the provisions of this chapter. The proceeding shall be brought in the district or circuit court of any county or city where the aggrieved person resides or where the agency made defendant has a place of business.\n\t\tIn the case of any successful proceeding by an aggrieved party, the agency enjoined or made subject to a writ of mandamus by the court shall be liable for the costs of the action together with reasonable attorneys’ fees as determined by the court.\n\t\tIn addition, if the court finds that a violation of subsection A of \u00a7 2.2-3808 was willfully and knowingly made by a specific public officer, appointee, or employee of any agency, the court may impose upon such individual a civil penalty of not less than $250 nor more than $1,000, which amount shall be paid into the State Literary Fund. For a second or subsequent violation, such civil penalty shall be not less than $1,000 nor more than $2,500. For a violation of subsection A of \u00a7 2.2-3808 by any agency, the court may impose a civil penalty of not less than $250 nor more than $1,000, which amount shall be paid into the State Literary Fund. For a second or subsequent violation, such civil penalty shall be not less than $1,000 nor more than $2,500.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":13559,"edition_id":1,"name":"Government Data Collection and Dissemination Practices Act","identifier":"38","label":"chapter","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12751,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:14","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:14","permalink":{"id":176597,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13559,"identifier":"38","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/38","url":"\/2.2\/II\/B\/38\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12751,"edition_id":1,"name":"Transaction of Public Business","identifier":"B","label":"part","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12750,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":176445,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12751,"identifier":"B","token":"2.2\/II\/B","url":"\/2.2\/II\/B\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12750,"edition_id":1,"name":"Administration of State Government","identifier":"II","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12749,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":176253,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12750,"identifier":"II","token":"2.2\/II","url":"\/2.2\/II\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12749,"edition_id":1,"name":"Administration of Government","identifier":"2.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":171453,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12749,"identifier":"2.2","token":"2.2","url":"\/2.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":69409,"structure_id":13559,"section_number":"2.2-3800","catch_line":"Short title; findings; principles of information practice","url":"\/2.2-3800\/","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/38\/2.2-3800","metadata":false},{"id":54522,"structure_id":13559,"section_number":"2.2-3801","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/2.2-3801\/","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/38\/2.2-3801","metadata":false},{"id":62575,"structure_id":13559,"section_number":"2.2-3802","catch_line":"Systems to which chapter inapplicable","url":"\/2.2-3802\/","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/38\/2.2-3802","metadata":false},{"id":58950,"structure_id":13559,"section_number":"2.2-3803","catch_line":"Administration of systems including personal information; Internet privacy policy; exceptions","url":"\/2.2-3803\/","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/38\/2.2-3803","metadata":false},{"id":55705,"structure_id":13559,"section_number":"2.2-3804","catch_line":"Military recruiters to have access to student information, school buildings, etc","url":"\/2.2-3804\/","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/38\/2.2-3804","metadata":false},{"id":59280,"structure_id":13559,"section_number":"2.2-3805","catch_line":"Dissemination of reports","url":"\/2.2-3805\/","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/38\/2.2-3805","metadata":false},{"id":58445,"structure_id":13559,"section_number":"2.2-3806","catch_line":"Rights of data subjects","url":"\/2.2-3806\/","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/38\/2.2-3806","metadata":false},{"id":69841,"structure_id":13559,"section_number":"2.2-3807","catch_line":"Agencies to report concerning systems operated or developed; publication of information","url":"\/2.2-3807\/","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/38\/2.2-3807","metadata":false},{"id":86548,"structure_id":13559,"section_number":"2.2-3808","catch_line":"Collection, disclosure, or display of social security number; personal identifying information of donors; penalty","url":"\/2.2-3808\/","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/38\/2.2-3808","metadata":false},{"id":62639,"structure_id":13559,"section_number":"2.2-3808.1","catch_line":"Agencies' disclosure of certain account information prohibited","url":"\/2.2-3808.1\/","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/38\/2.2-3808.1","metadata":false},{"id":71106,"structure_id":13559,"section_number":"2.2-3808.2","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/2.2-3808.2\/","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/38\/2.2-3808.2","metadata":false},{"id":80323,"structure_id":13559,"section_number":"2.2-3809","catch_line":"Injunctive relief; civil penalty; attorneys' fees","url":"\/2.2-3809\/","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/38\/2.2-3809","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":71106,"structure_id":13559,"section_number":"2.2-3808.2","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/2.2-3808.2\/","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/38\/2.2-3808.2","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/2.2-3809\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1976. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 597 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 1976 \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 2001, chapter 844<\/a>; in 2008, chapters 840<\/a> and 843<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":72168,"section_number":"16.1-77","catch_line":"Civil jurisdiction of general district courts; amending amount of claim","order_by":null,"url":"\/16.1-77\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":86548,"section_number":"2.2-3808","catch_line":"Collection, disclosure, or display of social security number; personal identifying information of donors; penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/2.2-3808\/"}],"permalink":{"id":176643,"object_type":"law","relational_id":80323,"identifier":"2.2-3809","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/38\/2.2-3809","url":"\/2.2-3809\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/2.2-3809\/","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/38\/2.2-3809","dublin_core":{"Title":"Injunctive relief; civil penalty; attorneys’ fees","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 2.2-3809","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Any aggrieved person may institute a proceeding for injunction<\/span> or mandamus against any person or agency<\/span> that has engaged, is engaged, or is about to engage in any acts or practices in violation of the provisions of this chapter. The proceeding shall be brought in the district or circuit<\/span> court<\/span> of any county or city where the aggrieved person resides or where the agency<\/span> made defendant<\/span> has a place of business.\n\t\tIn the case of any successful proceeding by an aggrieved party<\/span>, the agency<\/span> enjoined or made subject to a writ of mandamus<\/span> by the court<\/span> shall be liable for the costs of the action together with reasonable attorneys’ fees as determined by the court<\/span>.\n\t\tIn addition, if the court<\/span> finds that a violation of subsection A of \u00a7 2.2-3808<\/a> was willfully and knowingly made by a specific public officer, appointee, or employee of any agency<\/span>, the court<\/span> may impose upon such individual a civil penalty<\/span> of not less than $250 nor more than $1,000, which amount shall be paid into the State Literary Fund. For a second or subsequent violation, such civil penalty<\/span> shall be not less than $1,000 nor more than $2,500. For a violation of subsection A of \u00a7 2.2-3808<\/a> by any agency<\/span>, the court<\/span> may impose a civil penalty<\/span> of not less than $250 nor more than $1,000, which amount shall be paid into the State Literary Fund. For a second or subsequent violation, such civil penalty<\/span> shall be not less than $1,000 nor more than $2,500.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nINJUNCTIVE RELIEF; CIVIL PENALTY; ATTORNEYS’ FEES (\u00a7 2.2-3809)\n\nAny aggrieved person may institute a proceeding for injunction or mandamus\nagainst any person or agency that has engaged, is engaged, or is about to engage\nin any acts or practices in violation of the provisions of this chapter. The\nproceeding shall be brought in the district or circuit court of any county or\ncity where the aggrieved person resides or where the agency made defendant has a\nplace of business.\n\t\tIn the case of any successful proceeding by an aggrieved party, the agency\nenjoined or made subject to a writ of mandamus by the court shall be liable for\nthe costs of the action together with reasonable attorneys’ fees as\ndetermined by the court.\n\t\tIn addition, if the court finds that a violation of subsection A of \u00a7\n2.2-3808 was willfully and knowingly made by a specific public officer,\nappointee, or employee of any agency, the court may impose upon such individual\na civil penalty of not less than $250 nor more than $1,000, which amount shall\nbe paid into the State Literary Fund. For a second or subsequent violation, such\ncivil penalty shall be not less than $1,000 nor more than $2,500. For a\nviolation of subsection A of \u00a7 2.2-3808 by any agency, the court may impose a\ncivil penalty of not less than $250 nor more than $1,000, which amount shall be\npaid into the State Literary Fund. For a second or subsequent violation, such\ncivil penalty shall be not less than $1,000 nor more than $2,500.\n\nHISTORY: 1976, c. 597, \u00a7 2.1-386; 2001, c. 844; 2008, cc. 840, 843.","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}}