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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>54949</law_id><section_number>34-17</section_number><catch_line>When exemption may be set apart; garnished wages</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>34-34</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="34">Homestead and Other Exemptions</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="2">Homestead Exemption of Householder</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> The real or personal estate that a <span class="dictionary">householder</span> is entitled to hold as <span class="dictionary">exempt</span> may be set apart at any time before it is subjected by sale under <span class="dictionary">creditor process</span> or by a trustee in <span class="dictionary">bankruptcy</span>, or, if such <span class="dictionary">creditor process</span> does not require sale of the property, before it is turned over to the creditor. <a id="paragraph-201607" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/34-17/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> A claim of <span class="dictionary">homestead exemption</span> to protect garnished wages may be filed by the debtor after the <span class="dictionary">garnishment</span> <span class="dictionary">summons</span> is served on the employer but prior to or upon the return date of the <span class="dictionary">garnishment</span> <span class="dictionary">summons</span> and shall be considered by the garnishing <span class="dictionary">court</span>. <a id="paragraph-201608" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/34-17/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1919, &#xA7; 6543; 1944, p. 489; 1974, c. 272; 1981, c. 580; 1985, c. 521; 1990, c. 942; 2003, c. 1000; 2005, c. 367; 2020, c. 328.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
