{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/8.01-257.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/8.01-257.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/8.01-257.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/8.01-257.html"}],"law_id":77027,"edition_id":1,"section_id":77027,"structure_id":14535,"section_number":"8.01-257","catch_line":"Venue generally","history":"1977, c. 617.","full_text":"It is the intent of this chapter that every action shall be commenced and tried in a forum convenient to the parties and witnesses, where justice can be administered without prejudice or delay. Except where specifically provided otherwise, whenever the word &#8220;action(s)&#8221; is used in this chapter, it shall mean all actions at law, suits in equity, and statutory proceedings, whether in circuit courts or district courts.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":276414,"text":"It is the intent of this chapter that every action shall be commenced and tried in a forum convenient to the parties and witnesses, where justice can be administered without prejudice or delay. Except where specifically provided otherwise, whenever the word &#8220;action(s)&#8221; is used in this chapter, it shall mean all actions at law, suits in equity, and statutory proceedings, whether in circuit courts or district courts.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":14535,"edition_id":1,"name":"Venue","identifier":"5","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12747,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:48:33","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:48:33","permalink":{"id":281283,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14535,"identifier":"5","token":"8.01\/5","url":"\/8.01\/5\/","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":77027,"structure_id":14535,"section_number":"8.01-257","catch_line":"Venue generally","url":"\/8.01-257\/","token":"8.01\/5\/8.01-257","metadata":false},{"id":84822,"structure_id":14535,"section_number":"8.01-258","catch_line":"Venue not jurisdictional","url":"\/8.01-258\/","token":"8.01\/5\/8.01-258","metadata":false},{"id":67040,"structure_id":14535,"section_number":"8.01-259","catch_line":"Application","url":"\/8.01-259\/","token":"8.01\/5\/8.01-259","metadata":false},{"id":63311,"structure_id":14535,"section_number":"8.01-260","catch_line":"Proper venue; preferred forum in certain actions; permissible forums for other actions","url":"\/8.01-260\/","token":"8.01\/5\/8.01-260","metadata":false},{"id":63400,"structure_id":14535,"section_number":"8.01-261","catch_line":"Category A or preferred venue","url":"\/8.01-261\/","token":"8.01\/5\/8.01-261","metadata":false},{"id":81233,"structure_id":14535,"section_number":"8.01-262","catch_line":"Category B or permissible venue","url":"\/8.01-262\/","token":"8.01\/5\/8.01-262","metadata":false},{"id":78305,"structure_id":14535,"section_number":"8.01-262.1","catch_line":"Place for bringing action under a contract related to construction","url":"\/8.01-262.1\/","token":"8.01\/5\/8.01-262.1","metadata":false},{"id":55983,"structure_id":14535,"section_number":"8.01-263","catch_line":"Multiple parties","url":"\/8.01-263\/","token":"8.01\/5\/8.01-263","metadata":false},{"id":86879,"structure_id":14535,"section_number":"8.01-264","catch_line":"Venue improperly laid; objection","url":"\/8.01-264\/","token":"8.01\/5\/8.01-264","metadata":false},{"id":76737,"structure_id":14535,"section_number":"8.01-265","catch_line":"Change of venue by court","url":"\/8.01-265\/","token":"8.01\/5\/8.01-265","metadata":false},{"id":72403,"structure_id":14535,"section_number":"8.01-266","catch_line":"Costs","url":"\/8.01-266\/","token":"8.01\/5\/8.01-266","metadata":false},{"id":60621,"structure_id":14535,"section_number":"8.01-267","catch_line":"Discretion of judge","url":"\/8.01-267\/","token":"8.01\/5\/8.01-267","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":84822,"structure_id":14535,"section_number":"8.01-258","catch_line":"Venue not jurisdictional","url":"\/8.01-258\/","token":"8.01\/5\/8.01-258","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/8.01-257\/","history_text":"<p>This law was first created in 1977. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 617 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. Unfortunately, the 1977 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online.<\/p>","references":[{"id":75457,"section_number":"16.1-76","catch_line":"Venue","order_by":null,"url":"\/16.1-76\/"},{"id":75267,"section_number":"40.1-49.3","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/40.1-49.3\/"},{"id":57532,"section_number":"55.1-1257","catch_line":"Who may recover rent or possession","order_by":null,"url":"\/55.1-1257\/"},{"id":69251,"section_number":"55.1-1417","catch_line":"Who may recover rent or possession","order_by":null,"url":"\/55.1-1417\/"},{"id":61896,"section_number":"58.1-4021","catch_line":"Deposit of moneys received by agents; performance of functions, etc., in connection with operation of lottery; compensation of agents","order_by":null,"url":"\/58.1-4021\/"},{"id":63847,"section_number":"8.01-185","catch_line":"Venue","order_by":null,"url":"\/8.01-185\/"},{"id":55694,"section_number":"8.01-581.015","catch_line":"Venue","order_by":null,"url":"\/8.01-581.015\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":281285,"object_type":"law","relational_id":77027,"identifier":"8.01-257","token":"8.01\/5\/8.01-257","url":"\/8.01-257\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/8.01-257\/","token":"8.01\/5\/8.01-257","dublin_core":{"Title":"Venue generally","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 8.01-257","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section><p>It is the <span class=\"dictionary\">intent<\/span> of this chapter that every <span class=\"dictionary\">action<\/span> shall be commenced and tried in a forum convenient to the parties and witnesses, where justice can be administered without prejudice or delay. Except where specifically provided otherwise, whenever the word &#8220;<span class=\"dictionary\">action<\/span>(s)&#8221; is used in this chapter, it shall mean all <span class=\"dictionary\">actions<\/span> at <span class=\"dictionary\">law<\/span>, <span class=\"dictionary\">suits<\/span> in <span class=\"dictionary\">equity<\/span>, and statutory proceedings, whether in <span class=\"dictionary\">circuit<\/span> <span class=\"dictionary\">courts<\/span> or district <span class=\"dictionary\">courts<\/span>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":"                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nVENUE GENERALLY (\u00a7 8.01-257)\n\nIt is the intent of this chapter that every action shall be commenced and tried\nin a forum convenient to the parties and witnesses, where justice can be\nadministered without prejudice or delay. Except where specifically provided\notherwise, whenever the word &#8220;action(s)&#8221; is used in this chapter, it\nshall mean all actions at law, suits in equity, and statutory proceedings,\nwhether in circuit courts or district courts.\n\nHISTORY: 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}}