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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>71276</law_id><section_number>8.01-267.1</section_number><catch_line>Standards governing consolidation, etc., and transfer</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>8.01-267.3</reference><reference>8.01-267.4</reference><reference>8.01-267.5</reference><reference>8.01-267.7</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="5.1">Multiple Claimant Litigation Act</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>On <span class="dictionary">motion</span> of any <span class="dictionary">party</span>, a <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> may enter an <span class="dictionary">order</span> joining, coordinating, consolidating or transferring <span class="dictionary">civil actions</span> as provided in this chapter upon <span class="dictionary">finding</span> that:</p></section>
						<section id="1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Separate <span class="dictionary">civil actions</span> brought by six or more <span class="dictionary">plaintiffs</span> involve common questions of <span class="dictionary">law</span> or <span class="dictionary">fact</span> and arise out of the same transaction, occurrence or series of transactions or occurrences; <a id="paragraph-256886" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-267.1/#1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="2"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> The common questions of <span class="dictionary">law</span> or <span class="dictionary">fact</span> predominate and are significant to the actions; and <a id="paragraph-256887" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-267.1/#2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="3"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> The <span class="dictionary">order</span> (i) will promote the ends of justice and the just and efficient conduct and <span class="dictionary">disposition</span> of the actions, and (ii) is consistent with each <span class="dictionary">party</span>&#x2019;s right to <span class="dictionary">due process</span> of <span class="dictionary">law</span>, and (iii) does not prejudice each individual <span class="dictionary">party</span>&#x2019;s right to a fair and impartial resolution of each <span class="dictionary">action</span>.
			Factors to be considered by the <span class="dictionary">court</span> include, but are not limited to, (i) the nature of the common questions of <span class="dictionary">law</span> or <span class="dictionary">fact</span>; (ii) the convenience of the parties, witnesses and <span class="dictionary">counsel</span>; (iii) the relative stages of the actions and the work of <span class="dictionary">counsel</span>; (iv) the efficient utilization of judicial facilities and personnel; (v) the calendar of the <span class="dictionary">courts</span>; (vi) the likelihood and disadvantages of duplicative and inconsistent rulings, <span class="dictionary">orders</span> or <span class="dictionary">judgments</span>; (vii) the likelihood of prompt <span class="dictionary">settlement</span> of the actions without the entry of the <span class="dictionary">order</span>; and (viii) as to joint <span class="dictionary">trials</span> by <span class="dictionary">jury</span>, the likelihood of prejudice or confusion.
			The <span class="dictionary">court</span> may organize and manage the combined <span class="dictionary">litigation</span> and enter further <span class="dictionary">orders</span> consistent with the right of each <span class="dictionary">party</span> to a fair <span class="dictionary">trial</span> as may be appropriate to avoid unnecessary costs, duplicative <span class="dictionary">litigation</span> or delay and to assure fair and efficient conduct and resolution of the <span class="dictionary">litigation</span>, including <span class="dictionary">orders</span> that organize the parties into groups with like interest; appoint <span class="dictionary">counsel</span> to have lead responsibility for certain matters; allocate costs and attorney fees to separate <span class="dictionary">issues</span> into common questions that require treatment on a consolidated basis and individual cases that do not; and <span class="dictionary">stay</span> <span class="dictionary">discovery</span> on the <span class="dictionary">issues</span> that are not consolidated. <a id="paragraph-256888" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-267.1/#3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1995, c. 555; 2023, c. 563.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
