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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>84529</law_id><section_number>46.2-1573.01</section_number><catch_line>Recovery of attorney&amp;#8217;s fees</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="46.2">Motor Vehicles</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="IV">Dealers and Driver Training Schools</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="15">Motor Vehicle Dealers</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="7">Franchises</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Any <span class="dictionary">party</span> to a proceeding under &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Hearings and other remedies; civil penalties" href="/46.2-1573/">46.2-1573</a> who is found to have violated any provision of this article may be ordered by the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> before which an application therefor is pending to pay the reasonable attorney&#x2019;s fees and costs incurred by the complaining <span class="dictionary">party</span>, including those attorney&#x2019;s fees and costs incurred as a result of any <span class="dictionary">appeal</span>. Following issuance of the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span>&#x2019;s case decision <span class="dictionary">finding</span> that such violation has occurred, the complaining <span class="dictionary">party</span> may make application to an appropriate <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> for entry of an <span class="dictionary">order</span> awarding it reasonable attorney&#x2019;s fees and costs. Notice of an initial application for entry of such <span class="dictionary">order</span> shall be served in the manner provided by <span class="dictionary">law</span> for the service of a <span class="dictionary">summons</span> in an action. The <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall take such <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> thereon as it deems necessary. Entry of a <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> in conformity with any <span class="dictionary">order</span> awarding such fees and costs shall be stayed pending any <span class="dictionary">appeal</span> of such <span class="dictionary">order</span> or pending any <span class="dictionary">appeal</span> of the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span>&#x2019;s underlying decision on the merits. Such application shall be made within sixty days following the date of the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span>&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">order</span>. <span class="dictionary">Venue</span> for the application shall be the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> before which any <span class="dictionary">appeal</span> of the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span>&#x2019;s decision is pending, and the application may be considered concurrently with consideration of the <span class="dictionary">appeal</span>; otherwise, <span class="dictionary">venue</span> shall be as provided in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Venue" href="/2.2-4003/">2.2-4003</a>.</p></section></text><history>2001, cc. 812, 843.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
