{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/8.01-385.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/8.01-385.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/8.01-385.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/8.01-385.html"}],"law_id":81581,"edition_id":1,"section_id":81581,"structure_id":14383,"section_number":"8.01-385","catch_line":"Definitions","history":"1977, c. 617; 2011, c. 81.","full_text":"As used in this chapter:\n\n1\n\nThe term “United States” shall be deemed to refer to the United States of America and to include any of its territories, commonwealths, insular possessions, the District of Columbia, and any of its other political subdivisions other than states.2\n\nThe term “court” shall be deemed to include the courts of this Commonwealth, any other person or body appointed by it or acting under its process or authority in a judicial or quasi-judicial capacity, and any other judicial, quasi-judicial, or fact-finding body acting pursuant to the laws of the Commonwealth, including without limitation, the State Corporation Commission and the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission.3\n\nThe term “political subdivision” shall: (i) as applied to the United States, include any other political subdivision other than states and including without limitation the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; (ii) as applied to other countries, include without limitation states, counties, cities, towns, boroughs, and any division thereof recognized and vested with the authority to enact or promulgate ordinances, rules, and regulations having the force or effect of law; (iii) as applied to this Commonwealth and other states of the United States, include without limitation counties, cities, towns, boroughs, and any other division thereof recognized and vested with the authority to enact or promulgate ordinances, rules, and regulations having the force or effect of law.4\n\nThe term “agency” shall be deemed to include without limitation any department, division, commission, association, board, or other administrative body established pursuant to the laws of a jurisdiction.5\n\nThe term “official publication” includes any registry or listing of licenses, permits, or registrations posted on the official website of an agency or political subdivision.6\n\nThe term “publish” includes posting by an agency or political subdivision on its official website.7\n\nThe term “required to be published pursuant to the laws thereof” includes being subject to disclosure under § 54.1-108.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":292180,"text":"As used in this chapter:","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":"1"},"1":{"id":292181,"text":"The term “United States” shall be deemed to refer to the United States of America and to include any of its territories, commonwealths, insular possessions, the District of Columbia, and any of its other political subdivisions other than states.","type":"section","prefixes":["1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"1","prefix_anchor":"1","level":1,"prior_prefix":"","next_prefix":"2"},"2":{"id":292182,"text":"The term “court” shall be deemed to include the courts of this Commonwealth, any other person or body appointed by it or acting under its process or authority in a judicial or quasi-judicial capacity, and any other judicial, quasi-judicial, or fact-finding body acting pursuant to the laws of the Commonwealth, including without limitation, the State Corporation Commission and the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission.","type":"section","prefixes":["2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"2","prefix_anchor":"2","level":1,"prior_prefix":"1","next_prefix":"3"},"3":{"id":292183,"text":"The term “political subdivision” shall: (i) as applied to the United States, include any other political subdivision other than states and including without limitation the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; (ii) as applied to other countries, include without limitation states, counties, cities, towns, boroughs, and any division thereof recognized and vested with the authority to enact or promulgate ordinances, rules, and regulations having the force or effect of law; (iii) as applied to this Commonwealth and other states of the United States, include without limitation counties, cities, towns, boroughs, and any other division thereof recognized and vested with the authority to enact or promulgate ordinances, rules, and regulations having the force or effect of law.","type":"section","prefixes":["3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"3","prefix_anchor":"3","level":1,"prior_prefix":"2","next_prefix":"4"},"4":{"id":292184,"text":"The term “agency” shall be deemed to include without limitation any department, division, commission, association, board, or other administrative body established pursuant to the laws of a jurisdiction.","type":"section","prefixes":["4"],"prefix":"4","entire_prefix":"4","prefix_anchor":"4","level":1,"prior_prefix":"3","next_prefix":"5"},"5":{"id":292185,"text":"The term “official publication” includes any registry or listing of licenses, permits, or registrations posted on the official website of an agency or political subdivision.","type":"section","prefixes":["5"],"prefix":"5","entire_prefix":"5","prefix_anchor":"5","level":1,"prior_prefix":"4","next_prefix":"6"},"6":{"id":292186,"text":"The term “publish” includes posting by an agency or political subdivision on its official website.","type":"section","prefixes":["6"],"prefix":"6","entire_prefix":"6","prefix_anchor":"6","level":1,"prior_prefix":"5","next_prefix":"7"},"7":{"id":292187,"text":"The term “required to be published pursuant to the laws thereof” includes being subject to disclosure under § 54.1-108.","type":"section","prefixes":["7"],"prefix":"7","entire_prefix":"7","prefix_anchor":"7","level":1,"prior_prefix":"6"}},"ancestry":[{"id":14383,"edition_id":1,"name":"Judicial Notice","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12870,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:47:57","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:47:57","permalink":{"id":277359,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14383,"identifier":"1","token":"8.01\/14\/1","url":"\/8.01\/14\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12870,"edition_id":1,"name":"Evidence","identifier":"14","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12747,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:57","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:57","permalink":{"id":277357,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12870,"identifier":"14","token":"8.01\/14","url":"\/8.01\/14\/","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":81581,"structure_id":14383,"section_number":"8.01-385","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/8.01-385\/","token":"8.01\/14\/1\/8.01-385","metadata":false},{"id":55720,"structure_id":14383,"section_number":"8.01-386","catch_line":"Judicial notice of laws (Supreme Court Rule 2:202 derived in part from this section)","url":"\/8.01-386\/","token":"8.01\/14\/1\/8.01-386","metadata":false},{"id":78249,"structure_id":14383,"section_number":"8.01-387","catch_line":"Notice by courts and officers of signatures of judges and Governor","url":"\/8.01-387\/","token":"8.01\/14\/1\/8.01-387","metadata":false},{"id":77990,"structure_id":14383,"section_number":"8.01-388","catch_line":"Judicial notice of official publications (Supreme Court Rule 2:203 derived from this section)","url":"\/8.01-388\/","token":"8.01\/14\/1\/8.01-388","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":55720,"structure_id":14383,"section_number":"8.01-386","catch_line":"Judicial notice of laws (Supreme Court Rule 2:202 derived in part from this section)","url":"\/8.01-386\/","token":"8.01\/14\/1\/8.01-386","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/8.01-385\/","history_text":"

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. It has been modified 1 time. 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. That modification is as follows: in 2011, chapter 81<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":85609,"section_number":"2.2-614.2:1","catch_line":"Assisting U.S. armed forces in detention of citizen","order_by":null,"url":"\/2.2-614.2_1\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":75101,"section_number":"54.1-108","catch_line":"Disclosure of official records","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-108\/"}],"permalink":{"id":277361,"object_type":"law","relational_id":81581,"identifier":"8.01-385","token":"8.01\/14\/1\/8.01-385","url":"\/8.01-385\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/8.01-385\/","token":"8.01\/14\/1\/8.01-385","dublin_core":{"Title":"Definitions","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 8.01-385","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

As used in this chapter:<\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> The term “United States” shall be deemed to refer to the United States of America and to include any of its territories, commonwealths, insular possessions<\/span>, the District of Columbia, and any of its other political subdivisions other than states. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> The term “court<\/span>” shall be deemed to include the courts<\/span> of this Commonwealth, any other person<\/span> or body appointed by it or acting under its process or authority in a judicial or quasi-judicial capacity, and any other judicial, quasi-judicial, or fact<\/span>-finding<\/span> body acting pursuant to the laws<\/span> of the Commonwealth, including without limitation, the State Corporation Commission and the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> The term “political subdivision” shall: (i) as applied to the United States, include any other political subdivision other than states and including without limitation the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; (ii) as applied to other countries, include without limitation states, counties, cities, towns, boroughs, and any division thereof recognized and vested with the authority to enact or promulgate ordinances<\/span>, rules, and regulations having the force or effect of law<\/span>; (iii) as applied to this Commonwealth and other states of the United States, include without limitation counties, cities, towns, boroughs, and any other division thereof recognized and vested with the authority to enact or promulgate ordinances<\/span>, rules, and regulations having the force or effect of law<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

4.<\/span> The term “agency” shall be deemed to include without limitation any department, division, commission, association, board, or other administrative body established pursuant to the laws<\/span> of a jurisdiction<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

5.<\/span> The term “official publication<\/span>” includes any registry or listing of licenses, permits, or registrations posted on the official website of an agency or political subdivision. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

6.<\/span> The term “publish<\/span>” includes posting by an agency or political subdivision on its official website. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

7.<\/span> The term “required to be published pursuant to the laws thereof<\/span>” includes being subject to disclosure under § 54.1-108<\/a>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nDEFINITIONS (\u00a7 8.01-385)\n\nAs used in this chapter:\n\n1. The term “United States” shall be deemed to refer to the United\nStates of America and to include any of its territories, commonwealths, insular\npossessions, the District of Columbia, and any of its other political\nsubdivisions other than states.\n\n2. The term “court” shall be deemed to include the courts of this\nCommonwealth, any other person or body appointed by it or acting under its\nprocess or authority in a judicial or quasi-judicial capacity, and any other\njudicial, quasi-judicial, or fact-finding body acting pursuant to the laws of\nthe Commonwealth, including without limitation, the State Corporation Commission\nand the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission.\n\n3. The term “political subdivision” shall: (i) as applied to the\nUnited States, include any other political subdivision other than states and\nincluding without limitation the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of\nPuerto Rico; (ii) as applied to other countries, include without limitation\nstates, counties, cities, towns, boroughs, and any division thereof recognized\nand vested with the authority to enact or promulgate ordinances, rules, and\nregulations having the force or effect of law; (iii) as applied to this\nCommonwealth and other states of the United States, include without limitation\ncounties, cities, towns, boroughs, and any other division thereof recognized and\nvested with the authority to enact or promulgate ordinances, rules, and\nregulations having the force or effect of law.\n\n4. The term “agency” shall be deemed to include without limitation\nany department, division, commission, association, board, or other\nadministrative body established pursuant to the laws of a jurisdiction.\n\n5. The term “official publication” includes any registry or listing\nof licenses, permits, or registrations posted on the official website of an\nagency or political subdivision.\n\n6. The term “publish” includes posting by an agency or political\nsubdivision on its official website.\n\n7. The term “required to be published pursuant to the laws thereof”\nincludes being subject to disclosure under § 54.1-108.\n\nHISTORY: 1977, c. 617; 2011, c. 81.","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}}