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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>81233</law_id><section_number>8.01-262</section_number><catch_line>Category B or permissible venue</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>16.1-77.2</reference><reference>8.01-260</reference><reference>8.01-264</reference><reference>8.01-265</reference><reference>8.01-424.1</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="5">Venue</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>In any <span class="dictionary">actions</span> to which this chapter applies except those <span class="dictionary">actions</span> enumerated in Category A where preferred <span class="dictionary">venue</span> is specified, one or more of the following counties or cities shall be permissible forums, such forums being sometimes referred to as &#x201C;Category B&#x201D; in this title:</p></section>
						<section id="1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Wherein the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> resides or has his principal place of employment or, if the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> is not an individual, wherein its principal office or principal place of business is located; <a id="paragraph-291170" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-262/#1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="2"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Wherein the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> has a registered office, has appointed an agent to receive process, or such agent has been appointed by operation of the <span class="dictionary">law</span>; or, in case of withdrawal from the Commonwealth by such <span class="dictionary">defendant</span>, wherein <span class="dictionary">venue</span> herein was proper at the time of such withdrawal; <a id="paragraph-291171" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-262/#2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="3"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> Provided there exists any practical nexus to the forum including, but not limited to, the location of <span class="dictionary">fact</span> witnesses, <span class="dictionary">plaintiffs</span>, or other <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> to the <span class="dictionary">action</span>, wherein the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> regularly conducts substantial business activity, or in the case of withdrawal from the Commonwealth by such <span class="dictionary">defendant</span>, wherein <span class="dictionary">venue</span> herein was proper at the time of such withdrawal; <a id="paragraph-291172" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-262/#3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="4"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> Wherein the <span class="dictionary">cause of action</span>, or any part thereof, arose; <a id="paragraph-291173" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-262/#4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="5"><p><span class="prefix-number">5.</span> In <span class="dictionary">actions</span> to recover or <span class="dictionary">partition</span> personal property, whether tangible or intangible, the county or city:
			a. Wherein such property is physically located; or
			b. Wherein the <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> of such property is located;
			c. And if subdivisions a and b do not apply, wherein the <span class="dictionary">plaintiff</span> resides. <a id="paragraph-291174" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-262/#5"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="6"><p><span class="prefix-number">6.</span> In <span class="dictionary">actions</span> against a <span class="dictionary">fiduciary</span> as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="General definitions for this title" href="/8.01-2/">8.01-2</a> appointed under <span class="dictionary">court</span> authority, the county or city wherein such <span class="dictionary">fiduciary</span> qualified; <a id="paragraph-291175" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-262/#6"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="7"><p><span class="prefix-number">7.</span> In <span class="dictionary">actions</span> for improper message transmission or misdelivery wherein the message was transmitted or delivered or wherein the message was accepted for delivery or was misdelivered; <a id="paragraph-291176" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-262/#7"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="8"><p><span class="prefix-number">8.</span> In <span class="dictionary">actions</span> arising based on delivery of goods, wherein the goods were received; <a id="paragraph-291177" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-262/#8"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="9"><p><span class="prefix-number">9.</span> If there is no other forum available in subdivisions 1 through 8 of this category, then the county or city where the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> has property or debts owing to him subject to seizure by any civil process; or <a id="paragraph-291178" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-262/#9"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="10"><p><span class="prefix-number">10.</span> Wherein any of the <span class="dictionary">plaintiffs</span> reside if (i) all of the <span class="dictionary">defendants</span> are unknown or are nonresidents of the Commonwealth or if (ii) there is no other forum available under any other provisions of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Category A or preferred venue" href="/8.01-261/">8.01-261</a> or this section.
			Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, in <span class="dictionary">actions</span> in which an administrator has been appointed pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Appointment of administrator for prosecution of action for personal injury or wrongful death against or on behalf of estate of deceased resident or nonresident" href="/64.2-454/">64.2-454</a>, permissible <span class="dictionary">venue</span> shall only lie in a county or city in which <span class="dictionary">venue</span> would have been properly laid if the <span class="dictionary">person</span> for whom such appointment is made had survived. <a id="paragraph-291179" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-262/#10"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1977, c. 617; 1978, c. 414; 1979, c. 331; 1985, c. 213; 1999, c. 73; 2004, c. 979; 2013, cc. 71, 103; 2024, cc. 50, 340.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
