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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>59134</law_id><section_number>57-17</section_number><catch_line>Conveyance of church land held in adverse possession</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>57-18</reference><reference>57-19</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="57">Religious and Charitable Matters; Cemeteries</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="2">Church Property; Benevolent Associations and Objects</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="2">Property Held for Religious Purposes</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Whenever any church in the Commonwealth has been in the undisputed <span class="dictionary">possession</span>, for a period of 25 years or more, of any real estate, and for which there is no deed of record, the church, after giving notice once a week for four successive weeks in some newspaper published in, or having general circulation in, the county or city in which such real estate is, may file a <span class="dictionary">petition</span> in the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> of such county, or any <span class="dictionary">court</span> of record of such city, duly sworn to, which <span class="dictionary">petition</span> shall set forth the <span class="dictionary">fact</span> that the real estate mentioned therein has been in the undisputed <span class="dictionary">possession</span> of such church for a period of 25 years or more and shall give the true boundaries of such real estate. Upon the <span class="dictionary">hearing</span> of such <span class="dictionary">petition</span>, if the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall be satisfied that the real estate mentioned has been in the undisputed <span class="dictionary">possession</span> of such church for a period of 25 years or more; that the boundaries mentioned in the <span class="dictionary">petition</span> are the true boundaries of such real estate; and that such <span class="dictionary">petition</span> has been filed by the proper <span class="dictionary">party</span>, it may appoint a special commissioner to make conveyance of such real estate to the church, with covenant of special warranty.</p></section></text><history>1918, p. 94; 1924, p. 498; Michie Code 1942, &#xA7; 46a; 2005, c. 772.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
