{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/8.01-265.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/8.01-265.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/8.01-265.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/8.01-265.html"}],"law_id":76737,"edition_id":1,"section_id":76737,"structure_id":14535,"section_number":"8.01-265","catch_line":"Change of venue by court","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7\u00a7 8-38, 8-157, 8-158; 1950, p. 78; 1954, c. 660; 1956, c. 432; 1956, Ex. Sess., c. 11; 1960, c. 569; 1964, c. 502; 1968, c. 386; 1977, c. 617; 1979, c. 662; 1982, c. 601; 1991, c. 530; 2007, c. 105.","full_text":"In addition to the provisions of \u00a7 8.01-264 and notwithstanding the provisions of \u00a7\u00a7 8.01-195.4, 8.01-260, 8.01-261 and 8.01-262, the court wherein an action is commenced may, upon motion by any party and for good cause shown, (i) dismiss an action brought by a person who is not a resident of the Commonwealth without prejudice under such conditions as the court deems appropriate if the cause of action arose outside of the Commonwealth and if the court determines that a more convenient forum which has jurisdiction over all parties is available in a jurisdiction other than the Commonwealth or (ii) transfer the action to any fair and convenient forum having jurisdiction within the Commonwealth. Such conditions as the court deems appropriate shall include, but not be limited to, a requirement that the defendant agree not to assert the statute of limitations as a defense if the action is brought in a more convenient forum within a time specified by the court. The court, on motion of any party and for good cause shown, may retain the action for trial. Except by agreement of all parties, no action enumerated in Category A, \u00a7 8.01-261, shall be transferred to or retained by a forum not enumerated in such category. Good cause shall be deemed to include, but not to be limited to, the agreement of the parties or the avoidance of substantial inconvenience to the parties or the witnesses, or complying with the law of any other state or the United States.\n\t\tThe provisions of (i) of this section shall not apply to causes of action which accrue under \u00a7 8.01-249(4).","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":275489,"text":"In addition to the provisions of \u00a7 8.01-264 and notwithstanding the provisions of \u00a7\u00a7 8.01-195.4, 8.01-260, 8.01-261 and 8.01-262, the court wherein an action is commenced may, upon motion by any party and for good cause shown, (i) dismiss an action brought by a person who is not a resident of the Commonwealth without prejudice under such conditions as the court deems appropriate if the cause of action arose outside of the Commonwealth and if the court determines that a more convenient forum which has jurisdiction over all parties is available in a jurisdiction other than the Commonwealth or (ii) transfer the action to any fair and convenient forum having jurisdiction within the Commonwealth. Such conditions as the court deems appropriate shall include, but not be limited to, a requirement that the defendant agree not to assert the statute of limitations as a defense if the action is brought in a more convenient forum within a time specified by the court. The court, on motion of any party and for good cause shown, may retain the action for trial. Except by agreement of all parties, no action enumerated in Category A, \u00a7 8.01-261, shall be transferred to or retained by a forum not enumerated in such category. Good cause shall be deemed to include, but not to be limited to, the agreement of the parties or the avoidance of substantial inconvenience to the parties or the witnesses, or complying with the law of any other state or the United States.\n\t\tThe provisions of (i) of this section shall not apply to causes of action which accrue under \u00a7 8.01-249(4).","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}],"previous_section":{"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},"next_section":{"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},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/8.01-265\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 10 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 660; in 1956, chapter 432; in 1960, chapter 569; in 1964, chapter 502; in 1968, chapter 386; in 1977, chapter 617; in 1979, chapter 662; in 1982, chapter 601; in 1991, chapter 530; in 2007, chapter 105<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":63311,"section_number":"8.01-260","catch_line":"Proper venue; preferred forum in certain actions; permissible forums for other actions","order_by":null,"url":"\/8.01-260\/"},{"id":86879,"section_number":"8.01-264","catch_line":"Venue improperly laid; objection","order_by":null,"url":"\/8.01-264\/"},{"id":60621,"section_number":"8.01-267","catch_line":"Discretion of judge","order_by":null,"url":"\/8.01-267\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":65418,"section_number":"8.01-195.4","catch_line":"Jurisdiction of claims under this article; right to jury trial; service on Commonwealth or locality; amending amount of claim","order_by":null,"url":"\/8.01-195.4\/"},{"id":87200,"section_number":"8.01-249","catch_line":"When cause of action shall be deemed to accrue in certain personal actions","order_by":null,"url":"\/8.01-249\/"},{"id":63311,"section_number":"8.01-260","catch_line":"Proper venue; preferred forum in certain actions; permissible forums for other actions","order_by":null,"url":"\/8.01-260\/"},{"id":63400,"section_number":"8.01-261","catch_line":"Category A or preferred venue","order_by":null,"url":"\/8.01-261\/"},{"id":81233,"section_number":"8.01-262","catch_line":"Category B or permissible venue","order_by":null,"url":"\/8.01-262\/"},{"id":86879,"section_number":"8.01-264","catch_line":"Venue improperly laid; objection","order_by":null,"url":"\/8.01-264\/"}],"permalink":{"id":281321,"object_type":"law","relational_id":76737,"identifier":"8.01-265","token":"8.01\/5\/8.01-265","url":"\/8.01-265\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/8.01-265\/","token":"8.01\/5\/8.01-265","dublin_core":{"Title":"Change of venue by court","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 8.01-265","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

In addition to the provisions of \u00a7 8.01-264<\/a> and notwithstanding the provisions of \u00a7\u00a7 8.01-195.4<\/a>, 8.01-260<\/a>, 8.01-261<\/a> and 8.01-262<\/a>, the court<\/span> wherein an action is commenced may, upon motion<\/span> by any party<\/span> and for good cause shown, (i) dismiss an action brought by a person<\/span> who is not a resident of the Commonwealth without prejudice under such conditions as the court<\/span> deems appropriate if the cause of action<\/span> arose outside of the Commonwealth and if the court<\/span> determines that a more convenient forum which has jurisdiction<\/span> over all parties is available in a jurisdiction<\/span> other than the Commonwealth or (ii) transfer the action to any fair and convenient forum having jurisdiction<\/span> within the Commonwealth. Such conditions as the court<\/span> deems appropriate shall include, but not be limited to, a requirement that the defendant<\/span> agree not to assert the statute of limitations<\/span> as a defense if the action is brought in a more convenient forum within a time specified by the court<\/span>. The court<\/span>, on motion<\/span> of any party<\/span> and for good cause shown, may retain the action for trial<\/span>. Except by agreement of all parties, no action enumerated in Category A, \u00a7 8.01-261<\/a>, shall be transferred to or retained by a forum not enumerated in such category. Good cause shall be deemed to include, but not to be limited to, the agreement of the parties or the avoidance of substantial inconvenience to the parties or the witnesses, or complying with the law<\/span> of any other state or the United States.\n\t\tThe provisions of (i) of this section shall not apply to causes of action which accrue under \u00a7 8.01-249<\/a>(4).<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nCHANGE OF VENUE BY COURT (\u00a7 8.01-265)\n\nIn addition to the provisions of \u00a7 8.01-264 and notwithstanding the provisions\nof \u00a7\u00a7 8.01-195.4, 8.01-260, 8.01-261 and 8.01-262, the court wherein an action\nis commenced may, upon motion by any party and for good cause shown, (i) dismiss\nan action brought by a person who is not a resident of the Commonwealth without\nprejudice under such conditions as the court deems appropriate if the cause of\naction arose outside of the Commonwealth and if the court determines that a more\nconvenient forum which has jurisdiction over all parties is available in a\njurisdiction other than the Commonwealth or (ii) transfer the action to any fair\nand convenient forum having jurisdiction within the Commonwealth. Such\nconditions as the court deems appropriate shall include, but not be limited to,\na requirement that the defendant agree not to assert the statute of limitations\nas a defense if the action is brought in a more convenient forum within a time\nspecified by the court. The court, on motion of any party and for good cause\nshown, may retain the action for trial. Except by agreement of all parties, no\naction enumerated in Category A, \u00a7 8.01-261, shall be transferred to or\nretained by a forum not enumerated in such category. Good cause shall be deemed\nto include, but not to be limited to, the agreement of the parties or the\navoidance of substantial inconvenience to the parties or the witnesses, or\ncomplying with the law of any other state or the United States.\n\t\tThe provisions of (i) of this section shall not apply to causes of action\nwhich accrue under \u00a7 8.01-249(4).\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7\u00a7 8-38, 8-157, 8-158; 1950, p. 78; 1954, c. 660; 1956, c.\n432; 1956, Ex. Sess., c. 11; 1960, c. 569; 1964, c. 502; 1968, c. 386; 1977, c.\n617; 1979, c. 662; 1982, c. 601; 1991, c. 530; 2007, c. 105.","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}}