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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>56287</law_id><section_number>8.01-389</section_number><catch_line>Judicial records as evidence; full faith and credit; recitals in deeds, deeds of trust, and mortgages; &amp;#8220;records&amp;#8221; defined; certification</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>17.1-123</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="14">Evidence</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="2">Laws, Public Records, and Copies of Original Records as Evidence</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> The records of any judicial proceeding and any other official records of any <span class="dictionary">court</span> of this Commonwealth shall be received as prima facie <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> provided that such records are certified by the clerk of the <span class="dictionary">court</span> where preserved to be a true record. For the purposes of this section, judicial proceeding shall include the review of a <span class="dictionary">petition</span> and issuance of a temporary detention <span class="dictionary">order</span> under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Involuntary temporary detention; issuance and execution of order" href="/16.1-340.1/">16.1-340.1</a> or <a class="law" title="(Effective July 1, 2026) Involuntary temporary detention; issuance and execution of order" href="/37.2-809/">37.2-809</a>. <a id="paragraph-206150" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-389/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A1"><p><span class="prefix-number">A1.</span> The records of any judicial proceeding and any other official record of any <span class="dictionary">court</span> of another state or country, or of the United States, shall be received as prima facie <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> provided that such records are certified by the clerk of the <span class="dictionary">court</span> where preserved to be a true record. <a id="paragraph-206151" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-389/#A1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Every <span class="dictionary">court</span> of this Commonwealth shall give such records of <span class="dictionary">courts</span> not of this Commonwealth the full faith and credit given to them in the <span class="dictionary">courts</span> of the <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> from whence they come. <a id="paragraph-206152" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-389/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B1"><p><span class="prefix-number">B1.</span> In any instance in which a <span class="dictionary">court</span> not of this Commonwealth shall have entered an <span class="dictionary">order</span> of <span class="dictionary">injunction</span> limiting or preventing access by any <span class="dictionary">person</span> to the <span class="dictionary">courts</span> of this Commonwealth without that <span class="dictionary">person</span> having had notice and an opportunity for a <span class="dictionary">hearing</span> prior to the entry of such foreign <span class="dictionary">order</span>, that foreign <span class="dictionary">order</span> is not required to be given full faith and credit in any Virginia <span class="dictionary">court</span>. The Virginia <span class="dictionary">court</span> may, in its discretion, hold a <span class="dictionary">hearing</span> to determine the adequacy of notice and opportunity for <span class="dictionary">hearing</span> in the foreign <span class="dictionary">court</span>. <a id="paragraph-206153" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-389/#B1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Specifically, recitals of any <span class="dictionary">fact</span> in a deed or deed of trust of record conveying any interest in real property shall be prima facie <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> of that <span class="dictionary">fact</span>. <a id="paragraph-206154" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-389/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> &#x201C;Records&#x201D; as used in this article, shall be deemed to include any <span class="dictionary">memorandum</span>, report, paper, data compilation, or other record in any form, or any combination thereof. <a id="paragraph-206155" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-389/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> The use of the term &#x201C;copy teste,&#x201D; &#x201C;true copy,&#x201D; or &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">certified copy</span>&#x201D; or a substantially similar term on a certification affixed or annexed to a copy of an official record maintained by a <span class="dictionary">clerk of court</span> that bears the signature of the clerk or any deputy clerk, and that has the name of the court where such record is preserved on the document or on the certification, shall be <span class="dictionary">prima facie proof</span> that such record is certified by such clerk to be a true copy of the official record kept in the office of the clerk. Nothing herein shall be construed to require or prevent a clerk from using an official seal or prevent a clerk from using any other acceptable method of certification for a court record. <a id="paragraph-206156" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-389/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="F"><p><span class="prefix-number">F.</span> The certification of any record pursuant to this section shall automatically authenticate such record for the purpose of its admission into <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> in any <span class="dictionary">trial</span>, <span class="dictionary">hearing</span>, or proceeding. <a id="paragraph-206157" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-389/#F"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7;&#xA7; 8-271, 8-275, 8-276, 8-276.1; 1977, c. 617; 1980, c. 453; 1995, c. 594; 1996, c. 417; 2008, c. 786; 2010, cc. 778, 825; 2013, c. 263.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
