{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/54.1-3903.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/54.1-3903.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/54.1-3903.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/54.1-3903.html"}],"law_id":76127,"edition_id":1,"section_id":76127,"structure_id":15490,"section_number":"54.1-3903","catch_line":"Oath; qualification; proof of licensure or authorization","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 54-43; 1972, c. 131; 1988, c. 765.","full_text":"Before an attorney may practice in any court in the Commonwealth, he shall take the oath of fidelity to the Commonwealth, stating that he will honestly demean himself in the practice of law and execute his office of attorney-at-law to the best of his ability. An attorney who has qualified before the Supreme Court of Virginia shall be qualified to practice in all courts of the Commonwealth. An attorney who has qualified before a court other than the Supreme Court shall be qualified to practice only in the court which administered his oath.\n\t\tEach court in which an attorney intends to practice may require the attorney to produce satisfactory evidence of his licensure or authorization.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":273234,"text":"Before an attorney may practice in any court in the Commonwealth, he shall take the oath of fidelity to the Commonwealth, stating that he will honestly demean himself in the practice of law and execute his office of attorney-at-law to the best of his ability. An attorney who has qualified before the Supreme Court of Virginia shall be qualified to practice in all courts of the Commonwealth. An attorney who has qualified before a court other than the Supreme Court shall be qualified to practice only in the court which administered his oath.\n\t\tEach court in which an attorney intends to practice may require the attorney to produce satisfactory evidence of his licensure or authorization.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":15490,"edition_id":1,"name":"General Provisions","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13488,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:55:29","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:55:29","permalink":{"id":244229,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15490,"identifier":"1","token":"54.1\/IV\/39\/1","url":"\/54.1\/IV\/39\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13488,"edition_id":1,"name":"Attorneys","identifier":"39","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13487,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:01","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:01","permalink":{"id":244227,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13488,"identifier":"39","token":"54.1\/IV\/39","url":"\/54.1\/IV\/39\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13487,"edition_id":1,"name":"Professions Regulated by the Supreme Court","identifier":"IV","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12754,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:01","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:01","permalink":{"id":244225,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13487,"identifier":"IV","token":"54.1\/IV","url":"\/54.1\/IV\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12754,"edition_id":1,"name":"Professions and Occupations","identifier":"54.1","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":239313,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12754,"identifier":"54.1","token":"54.1","url":"\/54.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":73725,"structure_id":15490,"section_number":"54.1-3900","catch_line":"Practice of law; student internship program; definition","url":"\/54.1-3900\/","token":"54.1\/IV\/39\/1\/54.1-3900","metadata":false},{"id":63244,"structure_id":15490,"section_number":"54.1-3900.01","catch_line":"Protection of client interests; appointment of receiver for practice of a disabled, impaired, absent, deceased, suspended or disbarred attorney","url":"\/54.1-3900.01\/","token":"54.1\/IV\/39\/1\/54.1-3900.01","metadata":false},{"id":72192,"structure_id":15490,"section_number":"54.1-3900.02","catch_line":"Disclosure of services provided by the Department of Veterans Services","url":"\/54.1-3900.02\/","token":"54.1\/IV\/39\/1\/54.1-3900.02","metadata":false},{"id":87148,"structure_id":15490,"section_number":"54.1-3901","catch_line":"Practice of patent law","url":"\/54.1-3901\/","token":"54.1\/IV\/39\/1\/54.1-3901","metadata":false},{"id":68321,"structure_id":15490,"section_number":"54.1-3902","catch_line":"Professional corporations; professional limited liability companies; and registered limited liability partnerships","url":"\/54.1-3902\/","token":"54.1\/IV\/39\/1\/54.1-3902","metadata":false},{"id":76127,"structure_id":15490,"section_number":"54.1-3903","catch_line":"Oath; qualification; proof of licensure or authorization","url":"\/54.1-3903\/","token":"54.1\/IV\/39\/1\/54.1-3903","metadata":false},{"id":81050,"structure_id":15490,"section_number":"54.1-3904","catch_line":"Penalty for practicing without authority","url":"\/54.1-3904\/","token":"54.1\/IV\/39\/1\/54.1-3904","metadata":false},{"id":59027,"structure_id":15490,"section_number":"54.1-3905","catch_line":"Furnishing advice and services for compensation in connection with certain debt-pooling plans deemed practicing law","url":"\/54.1-3905\/","token":"54.1\/IV\/39\/1\/54.1-3905","metadata":false},{"id":70328,"structure_id":15490,"section_number":"54.1-3906","catch_line":"Liability to client","url":"\/54.1-3906\/","token":"54.1\/IV\/39\/1\/54.1-3906","metadata":false},{"id":86751,"structure_id":15490,"section_number":"54.1-3907","catch_line":"Reasonable care of attorney in selection of index","url":"\/54.1-3907\/","token":"54.1\/IV\/39\/1\/54.1-3907","metadata":false},{"id":73593,"structure_id":15490,"section_number":"54.1-3908","catch_line":"Liability for words used in proceedings concerning conduct","url":"\/54.1-3908\/","token":"54.1\/IV\/39\/1\/54.1-3908","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":68321,"structure_id":15490,"section_number":"54.1-3902","catch_line":"Professional corporations; professional limited liability companies; and registered limited liability partnerships","url":"\/54.1-3902\/","token":"54.1\/IV\/39\/1\/54.1-3902","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":81050,"structure_id":15490,"section_number":"54.1-3904","catch_line":"Penalty for practicing without authority","url":"\/54.1-3904\/","token":"54.1\/IV\/39\/1\/54.1-3904","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/54.1-3903\/","history_text":"<p>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 1972, chapter 131; in 1988, chapter 765.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":244251,"object_type":"law","relational_id":76127,"identifier":"54.1-3903","token":"54.1\/IV\/39\/1\/54.1-3903","url":"\/54.1-3903\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/54.1-3903\/","token":"54.1\/IV\/39\/1\/54.1-3903","dublin_core":{"Title":"Oath; qualification; proof of licensure or authorization","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 54.1-3903","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section><p>Before an attorney may practice in any <span class=\"dictionary\">court<\/span> in the Commonwealth, he shall take the <span class=\"dictionary\">oath<\/span> of fidelity to the Commonwealth, stating that he will honestly demean himself in the practice of <span class=\"dictionary\">law<\/span> and execute his office of attorney-at-<span class=\"dictionary\">law<\/span> to the best of his ability. An attorney who has qualified before the Supreme <span class=\"dictionary\">Court<\/span> of Virginia shall be qualified to practice in all <span class=\"dictionary\">courts<\/span> of the Commonwealth. An attorney who has qualified before a <span class=\"dictionary\">court<\/span> other than the Supreme <span class=\"dictionary\">Court<\/span> shall be qualified to practice only in the <span class=\"dictionary\">court<\/span> which administered his <span class=\"dictionary\">oath<\/span>.\n\t\tEach <span class=\"dictionary\">court<\/span> in which an attorney intends to practice may require the attorney to produce satisfactory <span class=\"dictionary\">evidence<\/span> of his licensure or authorization.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":"                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nOATH; QUALIFICATION; PROOF OF LICENSURE OR AUTHORIZATION (\u00a7 54.1-3903)\n\nBefore an attorney may practice in any court in the Commonwealth, he shall take\nthe oath of fidelity to the Commonwealth, stating that he will honestly demean\nhimself in the practice of law and execute his office of attorney-at-law to the\nbest of his ability. An attorney who has qualified before the Supreme Court of\nVirginia shall be qualified to practice in all courts of the Commonwealth. An\nattorney who has qualified before a court other than the Supreme Court shall be\nqualified to practice only in the court which administered his oath.\n\t\tEach court in which an attorney intends to practice may require the attorney\nto produce satisfactory evidence of his licensure or authorization.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 54-43; 1972, c. 131; 1988, c. 765.","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}}