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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>82351</law_id><section_number>48-16</section_number><catch_line>Closure of nuisance involving illegal drug transactions</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="48">Nuisances</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="2">Houses of Prostitution, Etc.</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Upon a <span class="dictionary">conviction</span> under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Certain premises deemed common nuisance; penalty" href="/18.2-258/">18.2-258</a> and after due notice and opportunity to be heard on the part of any owner, lessor, or a lienholder not involved in the original <span class="dictionary">offense</span>, by a proceeding similar to that in Chapter 22.1 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Commencing an action of forfeiture" href="/19.2-386.1/">19.2-386.1</a> et seq.) of Title 19.2 and upon proof of guilty knowledge, a <span class="dictionary">court</span> may <span class="dictionary">order</span> that such house, motor vehicle, aircraft, boat, vessel, or other premises, or any room or part thereof, be closed, but the <span class="dictionary">court</span> may, upon the owner or lessor giving <span class="dictionary">bond</span> in the <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> of not less than $500 and with security to be approved by the <span class="dictionary">court</span>, conditioned that the premises shall not be used for unlawful purposes, turn the same over to its owner or lessor; or proceeding may be had in <span class="dictionary">equity</span> as provided in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Enjoining nuisances involving illegal drug transactions" href="/48-17/">48-17</a>. <a id="paragraph-295074" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/48-16/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> The penalties provided in this section shall be in addition to any other <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> provided by <span class="dictionary">law</span>, including immediate termination of a rental agreement as provided in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="(Effective the later of July 1, 2028, or 7 years after the COVID-19 pandemic state of emergency expires) Noncompliance with rental agreement; monetary penalty" href="/55.1-1245/">55.1-1245</a>. <a id="paragraph-295075" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/48-16/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> In a civil or in rem proceeding under the provisions of this section <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> shall not be entered against the owner, lessor, or lienholder of property unless it is proved (i) that he knew of the unlawful use of the property and (ii) that he had the right, because of such unlawful use, to enter and repossess the property. <a id="paragraph-295076" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/48-16/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2004, c. 462.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
