{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/8.01-539.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/8.01-539.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/8.01-539.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/8.01-539.html"}],"law_id":77506,"edition_id":1,"section_id":77506,"structure_id":14790,"section_number":"8.01-539","catch_line":"Who made defendants","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 8-525; 1977, c. 617.","full_text":"A person against whom the plaintiff is asserting the claim shall be made a defendant to the petition, and shall be known as a principal defendant. There shall also be made a defendant any person indebted to or having in his possession property, real or personal, belonging to a principal defendant, which is sought to be attached. There may also be made a defendant any person claiming title to, and interest in, or a lien upon the property sought to be attached. A defendant, other than a principal defendant, shall be known as a codefendant.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":278035,"text":"A person against whom the plaintiff is asserting the claim shall be made a defendant to the petition, and shall be known as a principal defendant. There shall also be made a defendant any person indebted to or having in his possession property, real or personal, belonging to a principal defendant, which is sought to be attached. There may also be made a defendant any person claiming title to, and interest in, or a lien upon the property sought to be attached. A defendant, other than a principal defendant, shall be known as a codefendant.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":14790,"edition_id":1,"name":"Attachments Generally","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12873,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:49:54","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:49:54","permalink":{"id":278567,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14790,"identifier":"1","token":"8.01\/20\/1","url":"\/8.01\/20\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12873,"edition_id":1,"name":"Attachments and Bail in Civil Cases","identifier":"20","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12747,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:58","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:58","permalink":{"id":278565,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12873,"identifier":"20","token":"8.01\/20","url":"\/8.01\/20\/","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":84946,"structure_id":14790,"section_number":"8.01-533","catch_line":"Who may sue out attachment","url":"\/8.01-533\/","token":"8.01\/20\/1\/8.01-533","metadata":false},{"id":76538,"structure_id":14790,"section_number":"8.01-534","catch_line":"Grounds of action for pretrial levy or seizure of attachment","url":"\/8.01-534\/","token":"8.01\/20\/1\/8.01-534","metadata":false},{"id":61296,"structure_id":14790,"section_number":"8.01-535","catch_line":"Jurisdiction of attachments; trial or hearing of issues","url":"\/8.01-535\/","token":"8.01\/20\/1\/8.01-535","metadata":false},{"id":86249,"structure_id":14790,"section_number":"8.01-536","catch_line":"Pleadings in attachment","url":"\/8.01-536\/","token":"8.01\/20\/1\/8.01-536","metadata":false},{"id":77594,"structure_id":14790,"section_number":"8.01-537","catch_line":"Petition for attachment; costs, fees and taxes","url":"\/8.01-537\/","token":"8.01\/20\/1\/8.01-537","metadata":false},{"id":57245,"structure_id":14790,"section_number":"8.01-537.1","catch_line":"Plaintiff to file bond","url":"\/8.01-537.1\/","token":"8.01\/20\/1\/8.01-537.1","metadata":false},{"id":87187,"structure_id":14790,"section_number":"8.01-538","catch_line":"Attachment of ships, boats and other vessels of more than twenty tons","url":"\/8.01-538\/","token":"8.01\/20\/1\/8.01-538","metadata":false},{"id":77506,"structure_id":14790,"section_number":"8.01-539","catch_line":"Who made defendants","url":"\/8.01-539\/","token":"8.01\/20\/1\/8.01-539","metadata":false},{"id":56751,"structure_id":14790,"section_number":"8.01-540","catch_line":"Issuance of attachment; against what attachment to issue","url":"\/8.01-540\/","token":"8.01\/20\/1\/8.01-540","metadata":false},{"id":62291,"structure_id":14790,"section_number":"8.01-541","catch_line":"To whom attachments directed; when and where returned","url":"\/8.01-541\/","token":"8.01\/20\/1\/8.01-541","metadata":false},{"id":56579,"structure_id":14790,"section_number":"8.01-542","catch_line":"Issue and execution of attachment on any day","url":"\/8.01-542\/","token":"8.01\/20\/1\/8.01-542","metadata":false},{"id":84996,"structure_id":14790,"section_number":"8.01-543","catch_line":"Issue of other attachments on original petition","url":"\/8.01-543\/","token":"8.01\/20\/1\/8.01-543","metadata":false},{"id":74420,"structure_id":14790,"section_number":"8.01-544","catch_line":"When attachment not served other attachments may issue; order of publication","url":"\/8.01-544\/","token":"8.01\/20\/1\/8.01-544","metadata":false},{"id":66495,"structure_id":14790,"section_number":"8.01-545","catch_line":"Amendments; formal defects","url":"\/8.01-545\/","token":"8.01\/20\/1\/8.01-545","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":87187,"structure_id":14790,"section_number":"8.01-538","catch_line":"Attachment of ships, boats and other vessels of more than twenty tons","url":"\/8.01-538\/","token":"8.01\/20\/1\/8.01-538","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":56751,"structure_id":14790,"section_number":"8.01-540","catch_line":"Issuance of attachment; against what attachment to issue","url":"\/8.01-540\/","token":"8.01\/20\/1\/8.01-540","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/8.01-539\/","history_text":"<p>The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\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 1977, chapter 617.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":278597,"object_type":"law","relational_id":77506,"identifier":"8.01-539","token":"8.01\/20\/1\/8.01-539","url":"\/8.01-539\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/8.01-539\/","token":"8.01\/20\/1\/8.01-539","dublin_core":{"Title":"Who made defendants","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 8.01-539","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section><p>A <span class=\"dictionary\">person<\/span> against whom the <span class=\"dictionary\">plaintiff<\/span> is asserting the claim shall be made a <span class=\"dictionary\">defendant<\/span> to the <span class=\"dictionary\">petition<\/span>, and shall be known as a principal <span class=\"dictionary\">defendant<\/span>. There shall also be made a <span class=\"dictionary\">defendant<\/span> any <span class=\"dictionary\">person<\/span> indebted to or having in his <span class=\"dictionary\">possession<\/span> property, real or personal, belonging to a principal <span class=\"dictionary\">defendant<\/span>, which is sought to be attached. There may also be made a <span class=\"dictionary\">defendant<\/span> any <span class=\"dictionary\">person<\/span> claiming title to, and interest in, or a <span class=\"dictionary\">lien<\/span> upon the property sought to be attached. A <span class=\"dictionary\">defendant<\/span>, other than a principal <span class=\"dictionary\">defendant<\/span>, shall be known as a codefendant.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":"                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nWHO MADE DEFENDANTS (\u00a7 8.01-539)\n\nA person against whom the plaintiff is asserting the claim shall be made a\ndefendant to the petition, and shall be known as a principal defendant. There\nshall also be made a defendant any person indebted to or having in his\npossession property, real or personal, belonging to a principal defendant, which\nis sought to be attached. There may also be made a defendant any person claiming\ntitle to, and interest in, or a lien upon the property sought to be attached. A\ndefendant, other than a principal defendant, shall be known as a codefendant.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 8-525; 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}}