{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/57-27.3.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/57-27.3.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/57-27.3.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/57-27.3.html"}],"law_id":61241,"edition_id":1,"section_id":61241,"structure_id":14956,"section_number":"57-27.3","catch_line":"Authorization for interment","history":"2004, c. 247.","full_text":"A cemetery may accept the notarized signature of one next of kin of a decedent for the purpose of authorizing the interment or entombment, and for erecting a memorial on the grave, crypt or niche, unless the cemetery is on written notice that there exists a dispute between next of kin over such interment, entombment or memorialization. In the case of such a dispute, the cemetery shall have no obligation to perform the interment, entombment or memorialization until there is agreement of all next of kin, or a court order adjudicating the issue among all necessary parties.\n\t\tFor purposes of this section, “next of kin” means any of the following persons, regardless of the relationship to the decedent: any person designated to make arrangements for the disposition of the decedent’s remains upon his death pursuant to \u00a7 54.1-2825, the legal spouse, child over 18 years of age, custodial parent, noncustodial parent, siblings over 18 years of age, guardian of minor child, guardian of minor siblings, maternal grandparents, paternal grandparents, maternal siblings over 18 years of age and paternal siblings over 18 years of age, or any other relative in the descending order of blood relationship.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":223783,"text":"A cemetery may accept the notarized signature of one next of kin of a decedent for the purpose of authorizing the interment or entombment, and for erecting a memorial on the grave, crypt or niche, unless the cemetery is on written notice that there exists a dispute between next of kin over such interment, entombment or memorialization. In the case of such a dispute, the cemetery shall have no obligation to perform the interment, entombment or memorialization until there is agreement of all next of kin, or a court order adjudicating the issue among all necessary parties.\n\t\tFor purposes of this section, “next of kin” means any of the following persons, regardless of the relationship to the decedent: any person designated to make arrangements for the disposition of the decedent’s remains upon his death pursuant to \u00a7 54.1-2825, the legal spouse, child over 18 years of age, custodial parent, noncustodial parent, siblings over 18 years of age, guardian of minor child, guardian of minor siblings, maternal grandparents, paternal grandparents, maternal siblings over 18 years of age and paternal siblings over 18 years of age, or any other relative in the descending order of blood relationship.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":14956,"edition_id":1,"name":"General Provisions","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13325,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:51:04","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:51:04","permalink":{"id":251627,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14956,"identifier":"1","token":"57\/3\/1","url":"\/57\/3\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13325,"edition_id":1,"name":"Cemeteries","identifier":"3","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13324,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:39","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:39","permalink":{"id":251625,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13325,"identifier":"3","token":"57\/3","url":"\/57\/3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13324,"edition_id":1,"name":"Religious and Charitable Matters; Cemeteries","identifier":"57","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:39","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:39","permalink":{"id":251501,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13324,"identifier":"57","token":"57","url":"\/57\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":57062,"structure_id":14956,"section_number":"57-22","catch_line":"Conveyance of land to trustees or local governing body for cemetery use","url":"\/57-22\/","token":"57\/3\/1\/57-22","metadata":false},{"id":75845,"structure_id":14956,"section_number":"57-23","catch_line":"Appointment, change or removal of trustees","url":"\/57-23\/","token":"57\/3\/1\/57-23","metadata":false},{"id":83621,"structure_id":14956,"section_number":"57-24","catch_line":"Powers and duties of trustees","url":"\/57-24\/","token":"57\/3\/1\/57-24","metadata":false},{"id":82765,"structure_id":14956,"section_number":"57-24.1","catch_line":"Trustee for purpose of suit","url":"\/57-24.1\/","token":"57\/3\/1\/57-24.1","metadata":false},{"id":70148,"structure_id":14956,"section_number":"57-25","catch_line":"Condemnation of land for cemeteries","url":"\/57-25\/","token":"57\/3\/1\/57-25","metadata":false},{"id":60699,"structure_id":14956,"section_number":"57-26","catch_line":"Restrictions as to location of cemeteries and as to quantity of land","url":"\/57-26\/","token":"57\/3\/1\/57-26","metadata":false},{"id":62251,"structure_id":14956,"section_number":"57-27","catch_line":"City of Richmond may prohibit burials in certain cemeteries","url":"\/57-27\/","token":"57\/3\/1\/57-27","metadata":false},{"id":82684,"structure_id":14956,"section_number":"57-27.1","catch_line":"Access to cemeteries located on private property; cause of action for injunctive relief; applicability","url":"\/57-27.1\/","token":"57\/3\/1\/57-27.1","metadata":false},{"id":69202,"structure_id":14956,"section_number":"57-27.1:1","catch_line":"Family cemeteries; interment rights of immediate family members and descendants","url":"\/57-27.1_1\/","token":"57\/3\/1\/57-27.1_1","metadata":false},{"id":78404,"structure_id":14956,"section_number":"57-27.2","catch_line":"Correction of interment errors","url":"\/57-27.2\/","token":"57\/3\/1\/57-27.2","metadata":false},{"id":61241,"structure_id":14956,"section_number":"57-27.3","catch_line":"Authorization for interment","url":"\/57-27.3\/","token":"57\/3\/1\/57-27.3","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":78404,"structure_id":14956,"section_number":"57-27.2","catch_line":"Correction of interment errors","url":"\/57-27.2\/","token":"57\/3\/1\/57-27.2","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/57-27.3\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2004. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 247<\/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":[{"id":84076,"section_number":"54.1-2825","catch_line":"Person to make arrangements for funeral and disposition of remains","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-2825\/"}],"permalink":{"id":251669,"object_type":"law","relational_id":61241,"identifier":"57-27.3","token":"57\/3\/1\/57-27.3","url":"\/57-27.3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/57-27.3\/","token":"57\/3\/1\/57-27.3","dublin_core":{"Title":"Authorization for interment","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 57-27.3","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A cemetery may accept the notarized signature of one next of kin<\/span> of a decedent for the purpose of authorizing the interment or entombment, and for erecting a memorial on the grave, crypt or niche, unless the cemetery is on written notice that there exists a dispute between next of kin<\/span> over such interment, entombment or memorialization. In the case of such a dispute, the cemetery shall have no obligation to perform the interment, entombment or memorialization until there is agreement of all next of kin<\/span>, or a court order<\/span> adjudicating the issue<\/span> among all necessary parties.\n\t\tFor purposes of this section, “next of kin<\/span>” means any of the following persons, regardless of the relationship to the decedent: any person designated to make arrangements for the disposition<\/span> of the decedent’s remains upon his death pursuant to \u00a7 54.1-2825<\/a>, the legal spouse, child over 18 years of age, custodial parent, noncustodial parent, siblings over 18 years of age, guardian of minor<\/span> child, guardian of minor<\/span> siblings, maternal grandparents, paternal grandparents, maternal siblings over 18 years of age and paternal siblings over 18 years of age, or any other relative in the descending order of blood relationship.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nAUTHORIZATION FOR INTERMENT (\u00a7 57-27.3)\n\nA cemetery may accept the notarized signature of one next of kin of a decedent\nfor the purpose of authorizing the interment or entombment, and for erecting a\nmemorial on the grave, crypt or niche, unless the cemetery is on written notice\nthat there exists a dispute between next of kin over such interment, entombment\nor memorialization. In the case of such a dispute, the cemetery shall have no\nobligation to perform the interment, entombment or memorialization until there\nis agreement of all next of kin, or a court order adjudicating the issue among\nall necessary parties.\n\t\tFor purposes of this section, “next of kin” means any of the\nfollowing persons, regardless of the relationship to the decedent: any person\ndesignated to make arrangements for the disposition of the decedent’s\nremains upon his death pursuant to \u00a7 54.1-2825, the legal spouse, child over 18\nyears of age, custodial parent, noncustodial parent, siblings over 18 years of\nage, guardian of minor child, guardian of minor siblings, maternal grandparents,\npaternal grandparents, maternal siblings over 18 years of age and paternal\nsiblings over 18 years of age, or any other relative in the descending order of\nblood relationship.\n\nHISTORY: 2004, c. 247.","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}}