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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>86974</law_id><section_number>16.1-101</section_number><catch_line>Proceedings against officer failing to make or making improper return</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>19.2-21</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="16.1">Courts Not of Record</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="6">Venue, Jurisdiction and Procedure in Civil Matters</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="3">Procedure in Civil Cases</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>If an officer fail to make due return of any execution issued from a <span class="dictionary">court</span> not of record, he may, on motion of the <span class="dictionary">plaintiff</span> and after ten days&#x2019; notice, be fined from time to time by the <span class="dictionary">judge</span> of such <span class="dictionary">court</span> in an amount not less than five nor more than twenty dollars for each <span class="dictionary">offense</span>. And if an officer make such return upon an execution issued from a <span class="dictionary">court</span> not of record as would, on a motion against the officer, authorize judgment to be entered against him for all or any part of the amount of such execution if the execution had issued from a <span class="dictionary">court</span> of record, the <span class="dictionary">creditor</span> on whose behalf such execution issued, or his personal representative, may, on a motion before the <span class="dictionary">judge</span> of such <span class="dictionary">court</span> after like notice obtain such judgment against the officer, his sureties and others as could be given by a <span class="dictionary">court</span> of record if the execution had issued therefrom. Section <a class="law" title="Appeals from courts not of record in civil cases" href="/16.1-106/">16.1-106</a> with respect to <span class="dictionary">appeals</span> in <span class="dictionary">civil actions</span> shall apply to such judgment. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section any such officer may be proceeded against as provided in Chapter 16 (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Counties and cities required to elect certain officers; qualifications of attorney for the Commonwealth; duties and compensation of officers; vacancies, certain counties and cities excepted; officer's powers not to be diminished" href="/15.2-1600/">15.2-1600</a> et seq.) of Title 15.2, or a <span class="dictionary">motion for judgment</span> may be brought as authorized in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Remedy by motion on certain bonds given or taken by officers; notice" href="/8.01-227/">8.01-227</a>.</p></section></text><history>1956, c. 555.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
