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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>73979</law_id><section_number>53.1-223</section_number><catch_line>Restriction on suits against prisoners</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="53.1">Prisons and Other Methods of Correction</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="11">Estates of Prisoners</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>No action or suit on any claim or demand, except suits for divorce, actions to establish a parent and child relationship between a child and a prisoner and actions to establish a prisoner&#x2019;s child support obligation, shall be maintained against a prisoner after <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> of <span class="dictionary">conviction</span> and while he is incarcerated, except through his committee, unless a <span class="dictionary">guardian ad litem</span> is appointed for the prisoner pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Guardian ad litem for persons under disability; when guardian ad litem need not be appointed for person under disability" href="/8.01-9/">8.01-9</a>, or an attorney licensed to practice <span class="dictionary">law</span> in the Commonwealth has entered of record an <span class="dictionary">appearance</span> for such prisoner. However, in any suit for divorce instituted against a prisoner, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall appoint a committee prior to any determination as to the property of the parties under &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Court may decree as to property and debts of the parties" href="/20-107.3/">20-107.3</a>.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 53-307.1; 1980, c. 504; 1982, c. 636; 1992, c. 398; 2000, c. 404; 2006, c. 553.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
