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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>84506</law_id><section_number>20-99.1:1</section_number><catch_line>How defendant may accept service; waive service</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>20-109.1</reference><reference>8.01-327</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="20">Domestic Relations</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="6">Divorce, Affirmation and Annulment</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> A <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> in such suits may accept <span class="dictionary">service of process</span> by signing the <span class="dictionary">proof of service</span> before any officer authorized to administer <span class="dictionary">oaths</span>. This <span class="dictionary">proof of service</span> shall, when filed with the papers in the suit, have the same effect as if it had been served upon the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> by a person authorized to serve process. In addition, <span class="dictionary">service of process</span> may be accepted or waived by any <span class="dictionary">party</span>, upon voluntary execution of a notarized writing specifying an <span class="dictionary">intent</span> to accept or <span class="dictionary">waive</span> any particular process, or by a <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> by filing an answer in the suit. Such notarized writing may be provided in the clerk&#x2019;s office of any <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> and may be signed by such <span class="dictionary">party</span> to the proceedings before any clerk or deputy clerk of any <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span>, under <span class="dictionary">oath</span>, or may be drafted and filed by <span class="dictionary">counsel</span> or a <span class="dictionary">pro se</span> <span class="dictionary">party</span> in the proceeding, and shall, when filed with the papers in the suit, have the same effect as if the process specified had been personally served upon the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> by a person authorized to serve process. For a suit for a no-fault divorce under subdivision A (9) of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Grounds for divorce from bond of matrimony; contents of decree" href="/20-91/">20-91</a>, any such <span class="dictionary">waiver</span> may occur within a reasonable time prior to or after the suit is filed, provided that a copy of the complaint is attached to such <span class="dictionary">waiver</span>, or is otherwise provided to the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span>, and the final <span class="dictionary">decree</span> of divorce as proposed by the complainant is signed by the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span>. The <span class="dictionary">court</span> may enter any <span class="dictionary">order</span> or <span class="dictionary">decree</span> without further notice unless a <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> has filed an answer in the suit. <a id="paragraph-302875" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-99.1_1/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> When service is accepted pursuant to this section by a nonresident person out of the Commonwealth, such service shall have the same effect as an <span class="dictionary">order</span> of publication duly executed. <a id="paragraph-302876" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-99.1_1/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Any process served outside the Commonwealth executed in such manner as provided for in this section is validated. <a id="paragraph-302877" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-99.1_1/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1988, c. 583; 1989, c. 562; 1992, c. 563; 2019, cc. 133, 237.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
