{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/48-8.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/48-8.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/48-8.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/48-8.html"}],"law_id":79030,"edition_id":1,"section_id":79030,"structure_id":14518,"section_number":"48-8","catch_line":"How nuisance enjoined","history":"Code 1919, \u00a7 1522; 2005, cc. 764, 813.","full_text":"Whenever a nuisance is kept, maintained, or exists as defined in \u00a7 48-7 the attorney for the Commonwealth or the Attorney General of the Commonwealth, or, with the exception of a suit brought against a criminal street gang as defined in \u00a7 18.2-46.1, any responsible citizen of the Commonwealth, may maintain a suit in equity in the name of the Commonwealth, upon the relation of such attorney for the Commonwealth, Attorney General, or citizen, to perpetually enjoin such nuisance, the person or persons conducting or maintaining the same, and the owner or agent of the building or ground upon which such nuisance exists. In such suit the court, or a judge in vacation, shall, upon the presentation of a bill therefor alleging that the nuisance complained of exists, and sworn to by two reputable citizens, allow a temporary writ of injunction, without bond, if it shall be made to appear to the satisfaction of the court or judge by evidence in the form of affidavits, depositions, oral testimony, or otherwise as the complainant may elect, that the nuisance complained of exists, unless the court or judge by previous order shall have directed the form and manner in which the evidence shall be presented. Three days’ notice, in writing, shall be given the defendant of the hearing of the application, and if then continued at his instance the writ as prayed shall be granted as a matter of course. A suit brought to enjoin criminal street gang activity may be brought against the criminal street gang as defined in \u00a7 18.2-46.1, as an unincorporated association and in the name by which it is commonly known.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":283081,"text":"Whenever a nuisance is kept, maintained, or exists as defined in \u00a7 48-7 the attorney for the Commonwealth or the Attorney General of the Commonwealth, or, with the exception of a suit brought against a criminal street gang as defined in \u00a7 18.2-46.1, any responsible citizen of the Commonwealth, may maintain a suit in equity in the name of the Commonwealth, upon the relation of such attorney for the Commonwealth, Attorney General, or citizen, to perpetually enjoin such nuisance, the person or persons conducting or maintaining the same, and the owner or agent of the building or ground upon which such nuisance exists. In such suit the court, or a judge in vacation, shall, upon the presentation of a bill therefor alleging that the nuisance complained of exists, and sworn to by two reputable citizens, allow a temporary writ of injunction, without bond, if it shall be made to appear to the satisfaction of the court or judge by evidence in the form of affidavits, depositions, oral testimony, or otherwise as the complainant may elect, that the nuisance complained of exists, unless the court or judge by previous order shall have directed the form and manner in which the evidence shall be presented. Three days’ notice, in writing, shall be given the defendant of the hearing of the application, and if then continued at his instance the writ as prayed shall be granted as a matter of course. A suit brought to enjoin criminal street gang activity may be brought against the criminal street gang as defined in \u00a7 18.2-46.1, as an unincorporated association and in the name by which it is commonly known.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":14518,"edition_id":1,"name":"Houses of Prostitution, Etc.","identifier":"2","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":14256,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:48:29","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:48:29","permalink":{"id":233121,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14518,"identifier":"2","token":"48\/2","url":"\/48\/2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":14256,"edition_id":1,"name":"Nuisances","identifier":"48","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:47:29","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:47:29","permalink":{"id":233093,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14256,"identifier":"48","token":"48","url":"\/48\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":78959,"structure_id":14518,"section_number":"48-10","catch_line":"Contempt proceedings","url":"\/48-10\/","token":"48\/2\/48-10","metadata":false},{"id":66568,"structure_id":14518,"section_number":"48-11","catch_line":"Punishment for contempt","url":"\/48-11\/","token":"48\/2\/48-11","metadata":false},{"id":58204,"structure_id":14518,"section_number":"48-12","catch_line":"Order of abatement of nuisance; sale of furniture, etc.; closing of building","url":"\/48-12\/","token":"48\/2\/48-12","metadata":false},{"id":63164,"structure_id":14518,"section_number":"48-13","catch_line":"Disposition of proceeds of sale","url":"\/48-13\/","token":"48\/2\/48-13","metadata":false},{"id":55947,"structure_id":14518,"section_number":"48-14","catch_line":"When property to be delivered to owner on giving bond","url":"\/48-14\/","token":"48\/2\/48-14","metadata":false},{"id":62226,"structure_id":14518,"section_number":"48-15","catch_line":"Immunity to witnesses","url":"\/48-15\/","token":"48\/2\/48-15","metadata":false},{"id":82351,"structure_id":14518,"section_number":"48-16","catch_line":"Closure of nuisance involving illegal drug transactions","url":"\/48-16\/","token":"48\/2\/48-16","metadata":false},{"id":70861,"structure_id":14518,"section_number":"48-17","catch_line":"Enjoining nuisances involving illegal drug transactions","url":"\/48-17\/","token":"48\/2\/48-17","metadata":false},{"id":69419,"structure_id":14518,"section_number":"48-17.1","catch_line":"Temporary injunctions against alcoholic beverage sales","url":"\/48-17.1\/","token":"48\/2\/48-17.1","metadata":false},{"id":66210,"structure_id":14518,"section_number":"48-7","catch_line":"Houses and contents are nuisances subject to abatement","url":"\/48-7\/","token":"48\/2\/48-7","metadata":false},{"id":79030,"structure_id":14518,"section_number":"48-8","catch_line":"How nuisance enjoined","url":"\/48-8\/","token":"48\/2\/48-8","metadata":false},{"id":65523,"structure_id":14518,"section_number":"48-9","catch_line":"When case to be tried; dismissal; substitution of complainant; costs","url":"\/48-9\/","token":"48\/2\/48-9","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":66210,"structure_id":14518,"section_number":"48-7","catch_line":"Houses and contents are nuisances subject to abatement","url":"\/48-7\/","token":"48\/2\/48-7","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":65523,"structure_id":14518,"section_number":"48-9","catch_line":"When case to be tried; dismissal; substitution of complainant; costs","url":"\/48-9\/","token":"48\/2\/48-9","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/48-8\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\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 2005, chapters 764<\/a> and 813<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":86583,"section_number":"18.2-46.1","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-46.1\/"},{"id":66210,"section_number":"48-7","catch_line":"Houses and contents are nuisances subject to abatement","order_by":null,"url":"\/48-7\/"}],"permalink":{"id":233163,"object_type":"law","relational_id":79030,"identifier":"48-8","token":"48\/2\/48-8","url":"\/48-8\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/48-8\/","token":"48\/2\/48-8","dublin_core":{"Title":"How nuisance enjoined","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 48-8","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Whenever a nuisance is kept, maintained, or exists as defined in \u00a7 48-7<\/a> the attorney for the Commonwealth or the Attorney General<\/span> of the Commonwealth, or, with the exception of a suit brought against a criminal street gang as defined in \u00a7 18.2-46.1<\/a>, any responsible citizen of the Commonwealth, may maintain a suit in equity<\/span> in the name of the Commonwealth, upon the relation of such attorney for the Commonwealth, Attorney General<\/span>, or citizen, to perpetually enjoin such nuisance, the person or persons conducting or maintaining the same, and the owner or agent of the building or ground upon which such nuisance exists. In such suit the court<\/span>, or a judge<\/span> in vacation, shall, upon the presentation of a bill therefor alleging that the nuisance complained of exists, and sworn to by two reputable citizens, allow a temporary writ<\/span> of injunction<\/span>, without bond<\/span>, if it shall be made to appear to the satisfaction of the court<\/span> or judge<\/span> by evidence<\/span> in the form of affidavits<\/span>, depositions<\/span>, oral testimony<\/span>, or otherwise as the complainant may elect, that the nuisance complained of exists, unless the court<\/span> or judge<\/span> by previous order<\/span> shall have directed the form and manner in which the evidence<\/span> shall be presented. Three days’ notice, in writing, shall be given the defendant<\/span> of the hearing<\/span> of the application, and if then continued at his instance the writ<\/span> as prayed shall be granted as a matter of course. A suit brought to enjoin criminal street gang activity may be brought against the criminal street gang as defined in \u00a7 18.2-46.1<\/a>, as an unincorporated association and in the name by which it is commonly known.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nHOW NUISANCE ENJOINED (\u00a7 48-8)\n\nWhenever a nuisance is kept, maintained, or exists as defined in \u00a7 48-7 the\nattorney for the Commonwealth or the Attorney General of the Commonwealth, or,\nwith the exception of a suit brought against a criminal street gang as defined\nin \u00a7 18.2-46.1, any responsible citizen of the Commonwealth, may maintain a\nsuit in equity in the name of the Commonwealth, upon the relation of such\nattorney for the Commonwealth, Attorney General, or citizen, to perpetually\nenjoin such nuisance, the person or persons conducting or maintaining the same,\nand the owner or agent of the building or ground upon which such nuisance\nexists. In such suit the court, or a judge in vacation, shall, upon the\npresentation of a bill therefor alleging that the nuisance complained of exists,\nand sworn to by two reputable citizens, allow a temporary writ of injunction,\nwithout bond, if it shall be made to appear to the satisfaction of the court or\njudge by evidence in the form of affidavits, depositions, oral testimony, or\notherwise as the complainant may elect, that the nuisance complained of exists,\nunless the court or judge by previous order shall have directed the form and\nmanner in which the evidence shall be presented. Three days’ notice, in\nwriting, shall be given the defendant of the hearing of the application, and if\nthen continued at his instance the writ as prayed shall be granted as a matter\nof course. A suit brought to enjoin criminal street gang activity may be brought\nagainst the criminal street gang as defined in \u00a7 18.2-46.1, as an\nunincorporated association and in the name by which it is commonly known.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1919, \u00a7 1522; 2005, cc. 764, 813.","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}}