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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>55916</law_id><section_number>8.01-216.5</section_number><catch_line>Civil actions filed by private persons; Commonwealth may intervene</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>2.2-3011</reference><reference>8.01-216.6</reference><reference>8.01-216.7</reference><reference>8.01-216.8</reference><reference>8.01-216.9</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="8.01">Civil Remedies and Procedure</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="3">Actions</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="19.1">Virginia Fraud Against Taxpayers Act</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> A <span class="dictionary">person</span> may bring a <span class="dictionary">civil action</span> for a violation of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="False claims; civil penalty" href="/8.01-216.3/">8.01-216.3</a> for the <span class="dictionary">person</span> and for the <span class="dictionary">Commonwealth</span>. The action shall be brought in the name of the <span class="dictionary">Commonwealth</span>. The action may be dismissed only if the <span class="dictionary">court</span> and the <span class="dictionary">Attorney General</span> give written consent to the <span class="dictionary">dismissal</span> and their reasons for consenting. <a id="paragraph-204837" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-216.5/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> A copy of the complaint and written disclosure of substantially all <span class="dictionary">material</span> <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> and information the <span class="dictionary">person</span> possesses shall be served on the <span class="dictionary">Commonwealth</span>. The complaint shall be filed <span class="dictionary">in camera</span>, shall remain under seal for at least 120 days, and shall not be served on the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> until the <span class="dictionary">court</span> so <span class="dictionary">orders</span>. The <span class="dictionary">Commonwealth</span> may elect to intervene and proceed with the action within 120 days after it receives both the complaint and the <span class="dictionary">material</span> <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> and information. <a id="paragraph-204838" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-216.5/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> The <span class="dictionary">Commonwealth</span> may, for good cause shown, move the <span class="dictionary">court</span> for extensions of the time during which the complaint remains under seal. Any such <span class="dictionary">motions</span> may be supported by <span class="dictionary">affidavits</span> or other submissions <span class="dictionary">in camera</span>. The <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> shall not be required to respond to any <span class="dictionary">motion for judgment</span> filed under this section until twenty-one days after the complaint is unsealed and served upon the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span>. <a id="paragraph-204839" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-216.5/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> Before the expiration of the 120-day period or any extensions obtained under subsection C, the <span class="dictionary">Commonwealth</span> shall proceed with the action, in which case the action shall be conducted by the <span class="dictionary">Commonwealth</span>, or notify the <span class="dictionary">court</span> that it declines to take over the action, in which case the <span class="dictionary">person</span> bringing the action shall have the right to <span class="dictionary">prosecute</span> the action. <a id="paragraph-204840" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-216.5/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> When a <span class="dictionary">person</span> brings an action under this section, no <span class="dictionary">person</span> other than the <span class="dictionary">Commonwealth</span> may intervene or bring a related action based on the <span class="dictionary">facts</span> underlying the pending action. <a id="paragraph-204841" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-216.5/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2002, c. 842; 2007, c. 569.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
