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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>68155</law_id><section_number>8.01-420.7</section_number><catch_line>Attorney-client privilege and work product protection; limitations on waiver</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><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="9">Miscellaneous Provisions</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> When disclosure of a communication or information covered by the attorney-client <span class="dictionary">privilege</span> or work product protection made in a proceeding or to any public body as defined in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/2.2-3701/">2.2-3701</a> operates as a <span class="dictionary">waiver</span> of the <span class="dictionary">privilege</span> or protection, the <span class="dictionary">waiver</span> extends to an undisclosed communication or information only if: <a id="paragraph-246704" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-420.7/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> The <span class="dictionary">waiver</span> is intentional; <a id="paragraph-246705" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-420.7/#A1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> The disclosed and undisclosed communications or information concern the same subject matter; and <a id="paragraph-246706" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-420.7/#A2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> The disclosed and undisclosed communications or information ought in fairness be considered together. <a id="paragraph-246707" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-420.7/#A3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Disclosure of a communication or information covered by the attorney-client <span class="dictionary">privilege</span> or work product protection made in a proceeding or to any public body as defined in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/2.2-3701/">2.2-3701</a> does not operate as a <span class="dictionary">waiver</span> of the <span class="dictionary">privilege</span> or protection if: <a id="paragraph-246708" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-420.7/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> The disclosure is inadvertent; <a id="paragraph-246709" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-420.7/#B1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> The holder of the <span class="dictionary">privilege</span> or protection took reasonable steps to prevent disclosure; and <a id="paragraph-246710" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-420.7/#B2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> The holder promptly took reasonable steps to rectify the error, including, if applicable, complying with the provisions of subdivision (b) (6) (ii) of Rule 4:1 of the Rules of the Supreme <span class="dictionary">Court</span>. <a id="paragraph-246711" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-420.7/#B3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> A <span class="dictionary">court</span> may <span class="dictionary">order</span> that the <span class="dictionary">privilege</span> or protection is not waived by the disclosure connected with the <span class="dictionary">litigation</span> pending before the <span class="dictionary">court</span>, in which case the disclosure does not operate as a <span class="dictionary">waiver</span> in any other proceeding. <a id="paragraph-246712" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-420.7/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> An agreement on the effect of the disclosure in a proceeding is binding only on the parties to the agreement, unless it is incorporated into a <span class="dictionary">court order</span>. <a id="paragraph-246713" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-420.7/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> This section shall not limit any otherwise applicable <span class="dictionary">waiver</span> of attorney-client <span class="dictionary">privilege</span> or work product protection by an inmate who files an <span class="dictionary">action</span> challenging his <span class="dictionary">conviction</span> or sentence. <a id="paragraph-246714" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-420.7/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2010, c. 350.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
