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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>76737</law_id><section_number>8.01-265</section_number><catch_line>Change of venue by court</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>8.01-260</reference><reference>8.01-264</reference><reference>8.01-267</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 addition to the provisions of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Venue improperly laid; objection" href="/8.01-264/">8.01-264</a> and notwithstanding the provisions of &#xA7;&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Jurisdiction of claims under this article; right to jury trial; service on Commonwealth or locality; amending amount of claim" href="/8.01-195.4/">8.01-195.4</a>, <a class="law" title="Proper venue; preferred forum in certain actions; permissible forums for other actions" href="/8.01-260/">8.01-260</a>, <a class="law" title="Category A or preferred venue" href="/8.01-261/">8.01-261</a> and <a class="law" title="Category B or permissible venue" href="/8.01-262/">8.01-262</a>, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> wherein an action is commenced may, upon <span class="dictionary">motion</span> by any <span class="dictionary">party</span> and for good cause shown, (i) dismiss an action brought by a <span class="dictionary">person</span> who is not a resident of the Commonwealth without prejudice under such conditions as the <span class="dictionary">court</span> deems appropriate if the <span class="dictionary">cause of action</span> arose outside of the Commonwealth and if the <span class="dictionary">court</span> determines that a more convenient forum which has <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> over all parties is available in a <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> other than the Commonwealth or (ii) transfer the action to any fair and convenient forum having <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> within the Commonwealth. Such conditions as the <span class="dictionary">court</span> deems appropriate shall include, but not be limited to, a requirement that the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> agree not to assert the <span class="dictionary">statute of limitations</span> as a defense if the action is brought in a more convenient forum within a time specified by the <span class="dictionary">court</span>. The <span class="dictionary">court</span>, on <span class="dictionary">motion</span> of any <span class="dictionary">party</span> and for good cause shown, may retain the action for <span class="dictionary">trial</span>. Except by agreement of all parties, no action enumerated in Category A, &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Category A or preferred venue" href="/8.01-261/">8.01-261</a>, shall be transferred to or retained by a forum not enumerated in such category. Good cause shall be deemed to include, but not to be limited to, the agreement of the parties or the avoidance of substantial inconvenience to the parties or the witnesses, or complying with the <span class="dictionary">law</span> of any other state or the United States.
		The provisions of (i) of this section shall not apply to causes of action which accrue under &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="When cause of action shall be deemed to accrue in certain personal actions" href="/8.01-249/">8.01-249</a>(4).</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7;&#xA7; 8-38, 8-157, 8-158; 1950, p. 78; 1954, c. 660; 1956, c. 432; 1956, Ex. Sess., c. 11; 1960, c. 569; 1964, c. 502; 1968, c. 386; 1977, c. 617; 1979, c. 662; 1982, c. 601; 1991, c. 530; 2007, c. 105.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
