<?xml version="1.0"?>
<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>81785</law_id><section_number>64.2-448</section_number><catch_line>Complaint to impeach or establish a will; limitation of action; venue</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>64.2-556</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="64.2">Wills, Trusts, and Fiduciaries</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="II">Wills and Decedents' Estates</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="4">Wills</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="5">Probate</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> A person interested in the probate of the <span class="dictionary">will</span> who has not otherwise been before the <span class="dictionary">court</span> or clerk in a proceeding to probate the <span class="dictionary">will</span> pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Clerks may probate wills" href="/64.2-444/">64.2-444</a> or in an <span class="dictionary">ex parte</span> proceeding to probate the <span class="dictionary">will</span> pursuant to subsection B of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Motion for probate; process against persons interested in probate" href="/64.2-446/">64.2-446</a> may file a complaint to impeach or establish the <span class="dictionary">will</span> within one year from the date of the <span class="dictionary">order</span> entered by the <span class="dictionary">court</span> in exercise of its <span class="dictionary">original jurisdiction</span> or after an <span class="dictionary">appeal</span> of an <span class="dictionary">order</span> entered by the clerk, or, if no <span class="dictionary">appeal</span> from an <span class="dictionary">order</span> entered by the clerk is taken, from the date of the <span class="dictionary">order</span> entered by the clerk. <a id="paragraph-293048" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-448/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> A person interested in the probate of the <span class="dictionary">will</span> who had been proceeded against by an <span class="dictionary">order</span> of publication pursuant to subsection B of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Procedure in probate proceedings" href="/64.2-449/">64.2-449</a> may file a complaint to impeach or establish the <span class="dictionary">will</span> within two years from the date of the <span class="dictionary">order</span> entered by the <span class="dictionary">court</span> in the exercise of its <span class="dictionary">original jurisdiction</span>, unless he actually appeared as a <span class="dictionary">party</span> or had been personally served with a <span class="dictionary">summons</span> to appear. <a id="paragraph-293049" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-448/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> A person interested in the probate of the <span class="dictionary">will</span> who has not otherwise been before the <span class="dictionary">court</span> and who was a <span class="dictionary">minor</span> at the time of the <span class="dictionary">order</span> pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Clerks may probate wills" href="/64.2-444/">64.2-444</a> or <a class="law" title="Motion for probate; process against persons interested in probate" href="/64.2-446/">64.2-446</a> may file a complaint to impeach or establish the <span class="dictionary">will</span> within one year after such person reaches the age of maturity or is judicially declared emancipated. <a id="paragraph-293050" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-448/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> A person interested in the probate of the <span class="dictionary">will</span> who has not otherwise been before the <span class="dictionary">court</span> and who was incapacitated at the time of the <span class="dictionary">order</span> pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Clerks may probate wills" href="/64.2-444/">64.2-444</a> or <a class="law" title="Motion for probate; process against persons interested in probate" href="/64.2-446/">64.2-446</a> may file a complaint to impeach or establish the <span class="dictionary">will</span> within one year after such person is restored to capacity. <a id="paragraph-293051" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-448/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> Upon the filing of a complaint to impeach or establish the <span class="dictionary">will</span> pursuant to this section, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall <span class="dictionary">order</span> a <span class="dictionary">trial</span> by <span class="dictionary">jury</span> to ascertain whether what was offered for probate is the <span class="dictionary">will</span> of the testator. The <span class="dictionary">court</span> may require all testamentary papers of the testator be produced and direct the <span class="dictionary">jury</span> to ascertain whether any paper produced is the <span class="dictionary">will</span> of the testator. The <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall decide whether to admit the <span class="dictionary">will</span> to probate. <a id="paragraph-293052" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-448/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="F"><p><span class="prefix-number">F.</span> The <span class="dictionary">venue</span> for filing a complaint to impeach or establish the <span class="dictionary">will</span> shall be as specified in subdivision 7 of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Category A or preferred venue" href="/8.01-261/">8.01-261</a>. <a id="paragraph-293053" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-448/#F"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="G"><p><span class="prefix-number">G.</span> Subject to the provisions of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Setting aside default judgments; clerical mistakes; independent actions to relieve party from judgment or proceedings; grounds and time limitations" href="/8.01-428/">8.01-428</a>, a <span class="dictionary">final order</span> determining whether to admit a <span class="dictionary">will</span> to probate bars any subsequent complaint to impeach or establish a <span class="dictionary">will</span>. <a id="paragraph-293054" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-448/#G"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7;&#xA7; 64-80, 64-84 through 64-86; 1968, c. 656, &#xA7;&#xA7; 64.1-84, 64.1-88 through 64.1-90; 1972, c. 825; 1977, c. 624; 1996, c. 58; 2012, c. 614.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
