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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>59844</law_id><section_number>59.1-503.2</section_number><catch_line>Practical construction</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="59.1">Trade and Commerce</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="43">Uniform Computer Information Transactions Act</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="3">Construction</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="a"><p><span class="prefix-number">a.</span> The express terms of an agreement and any course of performance, course of dealing, or usage of trade must be construed whenever reasonable as consistent with each other. However, if that construction is unreasonable: <a id="paragraph-219221" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/59.1-503.2/#a"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="a1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> express terms prevail over course of performance, course of dealing, and usage of trade; <a id="paragraph-219222" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/59.1-503.2/#a1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="a2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> course of performance prevails over course of dealing and usage of trade; and <a id="paragraph-219223" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/59.1-503.2/#a2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="a3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> course of dealing prevails over usage of trade. <a id="paragraph-219224" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/59.1-503.2/#a3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="b"><p><span class="prefix-number">b.</span> An applicable usage of trade in the place where any part of performance is to occur must be used in interpreting the agreement as to that part of the performance. <a id="paragraph-219225" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/59.1-503.2/#b"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="c"><p><span class="prefix-number">c.</span> <span class="dictionary">Evidence</span> of a relevant course of performance, course of dealing, or usage of trade offered by one <span class="dictionary">party</span> in a proceeding is not <span class="dictionary">admissible</span> unless and until the <span class="dictionary">party</span> offering the <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> has given the other <span class="dictionary">party</span> notice that the <span class="dictionary">court</span> finds sufficient to prevent unfair surprise. <a id="paragraph-219226" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/59.1-503.2/#c"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="d"><p><span class="prefix-number">d.</span> The existence and scope of a usage of trade must be proved as <span class="dictionary">facts</span>. <a id="paragraph-219227" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/59.1-503.2/#d"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2000, cc. 101, 996.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
