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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>58043</law_id><section_number>8.01-3</section_number><catch_line>Supreme Court may prescribe rules; effective date and availability; indexed, and annotated; effect of subsequent enactments of General Assembly</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>16.1-69.32</reference><reference>17.1-503</reference><reference>8.01-15.2</reference><reference>8.01-286</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="1">General Provisions as to Civil Cases</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> The Supreme <span class="dictionary">Court</span>, subject to &#xA7;&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Rules of practice and procedure; rules not to preclude judges from hearing certain cases" href="/17.1-503/">17.1-503</a> and <a class="law" title="Rules" href="/16.1-69.32/">16.1-69.32</a>, may, from time to time, prescribe the forms of <span class="dictionary">writs</span> and make general regulations for the practice in all <span class="dictionary">courts</span> of the Commonwealth; and may prepare a system of rules of practice and a system of pleading and the forms of process and may prepare rules of <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> to be used in all such <span class="dictionary">courts</span>. This section shall be liberally construed so as to eliminate unnecessary delays and expenses. <a id="paragraph-212591" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-3/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> The Supreme <span class="dictionary">Court</span>, subject to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Establishment of districts by the Supreme Court of Virginia" href="/30-399/">30-399</a>, shall enact rules and procedures as may be necessary for implementing the requirements of Article II, &#xA7; 6-A of the Constitution of Virginia, empowering the Supreme <span class="dictionary">Court</span> to establish congressional or state legislative districts as provided for in that section. <a id="paragraph-212592" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-3/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> New rules and amendments to rules shall not become effective until 60 days from adoption by the Supreme <span class="dictionary">Court</span>, and shall be made available to all <span class="dictionary">courts</span>, members of the bar, and the public. <a id="paragraph-212593" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-3/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> The Virginia Code Commission shall publish and cause to be properly indexed and annotated the rules adopted by the Supreme <span class="dictionary">Court</span>, and all amendments thereof by the <span class="dictionary">Court</span>, and all changes made therein pursuant to subsection E. <a id="paragraph-212594" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-3/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> The General Assembly may, from time to time, by the enactment of a general <span class="dictionary">law</span>, modify or annul any rules adopted or amended pursuant to this section. In the case of any variance between a rule and an enactment of the General Assembly such variance shall be construed so as to give effect to such enactment. <a id="paragraph-212595" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-3/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="F"><p><span class="prefix-number">F.</span> Any amendment or addition to the rules of <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> shall be adopted by the Supreme <span class="dictionary">Court</span> on or before November 15 of any year and shall become effective on July 1 of the following year unless the General Assembly modifies or annuls any such amendment or addition by enactment of a general <span class="dictionary">law</span>. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Supreme <span class="dictionary">Court</span>, at any time, may <span class="dictionary">amend</span> the rules to conform with any enactment of the General Assembly and correct unmistakable printer&#x2019;s errors, misspellings, unmistakable errors to statutory cross-references, and other unmistakable errors in the rules of <span class="dictionary">evidence</span>. <a id="paragraph-212596" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-3/#F"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="G"><p><span class="prefix-number">G.</span> When any rule contained in the rules of <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> is derived from one or more sections of the Code of Virginia, the Supreme <span class="dictionary">Court</span> shall include a <span class="dictionary">citation</span> to such section or sections in the title of the rule. <a id="paragraph-212597" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-3/#G"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7;&#xA7; 8-1, 8-1.1, 8-1.2, 8-86.1; 1950, p. 3; 1952, c. 234; 1954, c. 333; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 2; 1972, c. 856; 1977, c. 617; 1979, c. 658; 1984, c. 524; 2003, c. 280; 2012, cc. 688, 708; 2020, Sp. Sess. I, c. 56; 2022, Sp. Sess. I, c. 1.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
