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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>87298</law_id><section_number>8.01-4</section_number><catch_line>District courts and circuit courts may prescribe certain rules</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>16.1-69.43</reference><reference>17.1-503</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><p>The district <span class="dictionary">courts</span> and <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">courts</span> may, from time to time, prescribe rules for their respective districts and <span class="dictionary">circuits</span>. Such rules shall be limited to those rules necessary to promote proper <span class="dictionary">order</span> and decorum and the efficient and safe use of courthouse facilities and clerks&#x2019; offices. No rule of any such <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall be prescribed or enforced which is inconsistent with this <span class="dictionary">statute</span> or any other statutory provision, or the Rules of Supreme <span class="dictionary">Court</span> or contrary to the decided cases, or which has the effect of abridging substantive rights of <span class="dictionary">persons</span> before such <span class="dictionary">court</span>. Any rule of <span class="dictionary">court</span> which violates the provisions of this section shall be invalid.
		The <span class="dictionary">courts</span> may prescribe certain <span class="dictionary">docket</span> control procedures which shall not abridge the substantive rights of the parties nor deprive any <span class="dictionary">party</span> the opportunity to present its position as to the merits of a case solely due to the unfamiliarity of <span class="dictionary">counsel</span> of record with any such <span class="dictionary">docket</span> control procedures. No civil matter shall be dismissed with prejudice by any district or <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> for failure to comply with any rule created under this section.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 8-1.3; 1970, c. 366; 1977, c. 617; 1999, c. 839; 2000, c. 803; 2014, c. 348.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
