{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/8.01-124.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/8.01-124.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/8.01-124.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/8.01-124.html"}],"law_id":80335,"edition_id":1,"section_id":80335,"structure_id":14682,"section_number":"8.01-124","catch_line":"Motion for judgment in circuit court for unlawful entry or detainer","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 8-789; 1954, c. 549; 1975, c. 235; 1977, c. 617.","full_text":"If any forcible or unlawful entry be made upon lands, or if, when the entry is lawful and peaceable, the tenant shall detain the possession of land after the right has expired, without the consent of him who is entitled to the possession, the party so turned out of possession, no matter what right of title he had thereto, or the party against whom such possession is unlawfully detained may file a motion for judgment in the circuit court alleging that the defendant is in possession and unlawfully withholds from the plaintiff the premises in question.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":287550,"text":"If any forcible or unlawful entry be made upon lands, or if, when the entry is lawful and peaceable, the tenant shall detain the possession of land after the right has expired, without the consent of him who is entitled to the possession, the party so turned out of possession, no matter what right of title he had thereto, or the party against whom such possession is unlawfully detained may file a motion for judgment in the circuit court alleging that the defendant is in possession and unlawfully withholds from the plaintiff the premises in question.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":14682,"edition_id":1,"name":"Unlawful Entry and Detainer","identifier":"13","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12886,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:49:19","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:49:19","permalink":{"id":279773,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14682,"identifier":"13","token":"8.01\/3\/13","url":"\/8.01\/3\/13\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12886,"edition_id":1,"name":"Actions","identifier":"3","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12747,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:59","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:59","permalink":{"id":279635,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12886,"identifier":"3","token":"8.01\/3","url":"\/8.01\/3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12747,"edition_id":1,"name":"Civil Remedies and Procedure","identifier":"8.01","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":277029,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12747,"identifier":"8.01","token":"8.01","url":"\/8.01\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":80335,"structure_id":14682,"section_number":"8.01-124","catch_line":"Motion for judgment in circuit court for unlawful entry or detainer","url":"\/8.01-124\/","token":"8.01\/3\/13\/8.01-124","metadata":false},{"id":59353,"structure_id":14682,"section_number":"8.01-125","catch_line":"When summons returnable to circuit court; jury","url":"\/8.01-125\/","token":"8.01\/3\/13\/8.01-125","metadata":false},{"id":56320,"structure_id":14682,"section_number":"8.01-126","catch_line":"Summons for unlawful detainer issued by magistrate or clerk or judge of a general district court","url":"\/8.01-126\/","token":"8.01\/3\/13\/8.01-126","metadata":false},{"id":65750,"structure_id":14682,"section_number":"8.01-127","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/8.01-127\/","token":"8.01\/3\/13\/8.01-127","metadata":false},{"id":75626,"structure_id":14682,"section_number":"8.01-128","catch_line":"Verdict and judgment; damages","url":"\/8.01-128\/","token":"8.01\/3\/13\/8.01-128","metadata":false},{"id":69380,"structure_id":14682,"section_number":"8.01-129","catch_line":"Appeal from judgment of general district court","url":"\/8.01-129\/","token":"8.01\/3\/13\/8.01-129","metadata":false},{"id":72865,"structure_id":14682,"section_number":"8.01-130","catch_line":"Judgment not to bar action of trespass, ejectment, or unlawful detainer","url":"\/8.01-130\/","token":"8.01\/3\/13\/8.01-130","metadata":false},{"id":56305,"structure_id":14682,"section_number":"8.01-130.01","catch_line":"Unlawful detainer; expungement","url":"\/8.01-130.01\/","token":"8.01\/3\/13\/8.01-130.01","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":59353,"structure_id":14682,"section_number":"8.01-125","catch_line":"When summons returnable to circuit court; jury","url":"\/8.01-125\/","token":"8.01\/3\/13\/8.01-125","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/8.01-124\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 3 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 1954, chapter 549; in 1975, chapter 235; in 1977, chapter 617.<\/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\/"},{"id":85575,"section_number":"55.1-1250","catch_line":"Landlord's acceptance of rent with reservation; tenant's right of redemption","order_by":null,"url":"\/55.1-1250\/"},{"id":67992,"section_number":"55.1-1415","catch_line":"Failure to pay certain rents after five days' notice forfeits right of possession","order_by":null,"url":"\/55.1-1415\/"},{"id":60444,"section_number":"8.01-236","catch_line":"Limitation of entry on or action for land","order_by":null,"url":"\/8.01-236\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":279775,"object_type":"law","relational_id":80335,"identifier":"8.01-124","token":"8.01\/3\/13\/8.01-124","url":"\/8.01-124\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/8.01-124\/","token":"8.01\/3\/13\/8.01-124","dublin_core":{"Title":"Motion for judgment in circuit court for unlawful entry or detainer","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 8.01-124","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

If any forcible or unlawful entry be made upon lands, or if, when the entry is lawful and peaceable, the tenant shall detain<\/span> the possession<\/span> of land after the right has expired, without the consent of him who is entitled to the possession<\/span>, the party<\/span> so turned out of possession<\/span>, no matter what right of title he had thereto, or the party<\/span> against whom such possession<\/span> is unlawfully detained may file a motion for judgment<\/span> in the circuit<\/span> court<\/span> alleging that the defendant<\/span> is in possession<\/span> and unlawfully withholds from the plaintiff<\/span> the premises in question.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nMOTION FOR JUDGMENT IN CIRCUIT COURT FOR UNLAWFUL ENTRY OR DETAINER (\u00a7\n8.01-124)\n\nIf any forcible or unlawful entry be made upon lands, or if, when the entry is\nlawful and peaceable, the tenant shall detain the possession of land after the\nright has expired, without the consent of him who is entitled to the possession,\nthe party so turned out of possession, no matter what right of title he had\nthereto, or the party against whom such possession is unlawfully detained may\nfile a motion for judgment in the circuit court alleging that the defendant is\nin possession and unlawfully withholds from the plaintiff the premises in\nquestion.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 8-789; 1954, c. 549; 1975, c. 235; 1977, c. 617.","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}}