{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/2.2-3816.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/2.2-3816.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/2.2-3816.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/2.2-3816.html"}],"law_id":70149,"edition_id":1,"section_id":70149,"structure_id":16511,"section_number":"2.2-3816","catch_line":"Proceedings for enforcement of chapter","history":"2009, c. 213.","full_text":"A\n\nAny aggrieved person may institute a proceeding for injunction or mandamus against any agency that has engaged, is engaged, or is about to engage in any acts in violation of the provisions of this chapter. Venue for the petition shall be addressed as follows:1\n\nIn a case involving a local agency, to the general district court or circuit court of the county or city from which the agency has been elected or appointed to serve;2\n\nIn a case involving a regional agency, to the general district or circuit court of the county or city where the principal business office of such agency is located; and3\n\nIn a case involving a state agency, including a public institution of higher education, to the general district court or the circuit court of the residence of the aggrieved party or of the City of Richmond.B\n\nIf the court finds a violation of the provisions of this chapter, the petitioner shall be entitled to recover reasonable costs and attorney fees from the agency if the petitioner substantially prevails on the merits of the case, unless special circumstances would make an award unjust. In making this determination, a court may consider, among other things, the reliance of the agency on an opinion of the Attorney General or a decision of a court that substantially supports the agency’s position.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":253284,"text":"Any aggrieved person may institute a proceeding for injunction or mandamus against any agency that has engaged, is engaged, or is about to engage in any acts in violation of the provisions of this chapter. Venue for the petition shall be addressed as follows:","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"A1"},"1":{"id":253285,"text":"In a case involving a local agency, to the general district court or circuit court of the county or city from which the agency has been elected or appointed to serve;","type":"section","prefixes":["A","1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"A1","prefix_anchor":"A1","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"A2"},"2":{"id":253286,"text":"In a case involving a regional agency, to the general district or circuit court of the county or city where the principal business office of such agency is located; and","type":"section","prefixes":["A","2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"A2","prefix_anchor":"A2","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A1","next_prefix":"A3"},"3":{"id":253287,"text":"In a case involving a state agency, including a public institution of higher education, to the general district court or the circuit court of the residence of the aggrieved party or of the City of Richmond.","type":"section","prefixes":["A","3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"A3","prefix_anchor":"A3","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A2","next_prefix":"B"},"4":{"id":253288,"text":"If the court finds a violation of the provisions of this chapter, the petitioner shall be entitled to recover reasonable costs and attorney fees from the agency if the petitioner substantially prevails on the merits of the case, unless special circumstances would make an award unjust. In making this determination, a court may consider, among other things, the reliance of the agency on an opinion of the Attorney General or a decision of a court that substantially supports the agency’s position.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A3"}},"ancestry":[{"id":16511,"edition_id":1,"name":"Protection of Social Security Numbers Act","identifier":"38.1","label":"chapter","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12751,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 04:21:49","date_modified":"2026-06-26 04:21:49","permalink":{"id":176647,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":16511,"identifier":"38.1","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/38.1","url":"\/2.2\/II\/B\/38.1\/","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":84798,"structure_id":16511,"section_number":"2.2-3815","catch_line":"Access to social security numbers prohibited; exceptions","url":"\/2.2-3815\/","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/38.1\/2.2-3815","metadata":false},{"id":70149,"structure_id":16511,"section_number":"2.2-3816","catch_line":"Proceedings for enforcement of chapter","url":"\/2.2-3816\/","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/38.1\/2.2-3816","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":84798,"structure_id":16511,"section_number":"2.2-3815","catch_line":"Access to social security numbers prohibited; exceptions","url":"\/2.2-3815\/","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/38.1\/2.2-3815","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/2.2-3816\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2009. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 213<\/a> 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.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":176653,"object_type":"law","relational_id":70149,"identifier":"2.2-3816","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/38.1\/2.2-3816","url":"\/2.2-3816\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/2.2-3816\/","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/38.1\/2.2-3816","dublin_core":{"Title":"Proceedings for enforcement of chapter","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 2.2-3816","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> Any aggrieved person may institute a proceeding for injunction<\/span> or mandamus against any agency that has engaged, is engaged, or is about to engage in any acts in violation of the provisions of this chapter. Venue<\/span> for the petition<\/span> shall be addressed as follows: <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> In a case involving a local agency, to the general district court<\/span> or circuit<\/span> court<\/span> of the county or city from which the agency has been elected or appointed to serve; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> In a case involving a regional agency, to the general district or circuit<\/span> court<\/span> of the county or city where the principal business office of such agency is located; and <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> In a case involving a state agency<\/span>, including a public institution of higher education, to the general district court<\/span> or the circuit<\/span> court<\/span> of the residence of the aggrieved party<\/span> or of the City of Richmond. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> If the court<\/span> finds a violation of the provisions of this chapter, the petitioner shall be entitled to recover reasonable costs and attorney fees from the agency if the petitioner substantially prevails on the merits of the case, unless special circumstances would make an award unjust. In making this determination, a court<\/span> may consider, among other things, the reliance of the agency on an opinion<\/span> of the Attorney General<\/span> or a decision of a court<\/span> that substantially supports the agency’s position. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPROCEEDINGS FOR ENFORCEMENT OF CHAPTER (\u00a7 2.2-3816)\n\nA. Any aggrieved person may institute a proceeding for injunction or mandamus\nagainst any agency that has engaged, is engaged, or is about to engage in any\nacts in violation of the provisions of this chapter. Venue for the petition\nshall be addressed as follows:\n\n 1. In a case involving a local agency, to the general district court or\n circuit court of the county or city from which the agency has been elected or\n appointed to serve;\n\n 2. In a case involving a regional agency, to the general district or circuit\n court of the county or city where the principal business office of such agency\n is located; and\n\n 3. In a case involving a state agency, including a public institution of\n higher education, to the general district court or the circuit court of the\n residence of the aggrieved party or of the City of Richmond.\n\nB. If the court finds a violation of the provisions of this chapter, the\npetitioner shall be entitled to recover reasonable costs and attorney fees from\nthe agency if the petitioner substantially prevails on the merits of the case,\nunless special circumstances would make an award unjust. In making this\ndetermination, a court may consider, among other things, the reliance of the\nagency on an opinion of the Attorney General or a decision of a court that\nsubstantially supports the agency’s position.\n\nHISTORY: 2009, c. 213.","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}}