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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>84490</law_id><section_number>8.01-460</section_number><catch_line>Decree for support and maintenance of spouse or infant children of parties as lien on real estate</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="17">Judgments and Decrees Generally</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="7">Lien and Enforcement Thereof</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>A <span class="dictionary">decree</span>, <span class="dictionary">order</span> or <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> for support and maintenance of a spouse or of infant children of the parties payable in future installments or a monetary award for future installments as provided for in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Court may decree as to property and debts of the parties" href="/20-107.3/">20-107.3</a>, shall be a <span class="dictionary">lien</span> upon such real estate of the obligor as the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall, from time to time, designate by <span class="dictionary">order</span> or <span class="dictionary">decree</span>. An <span class="dictionary">order</span> after reasonable notice to the obligor adjudicating that the obligor is delinquent, shall be a <span class="dictionary">lien</span> on the obligor&#x2019;s real estate. <span class="dictionary">Liens</span> under this section shall arise when duly docketed in the manner prescribed for the docketing of other <span class="dictionary">judgments</span> for money; however, no such <span class="dictionary">decree</span>, <span class="dictionary">order</span> or <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> for support and maintenance or for a monetary award in accordance with &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Court may decree as to property and debts of the parties" href="/20-107.3/">20-107.3</a> shall be docketed unless so ordered by the <span class="dictionary">court</span> in such <span class="dictionary">decree</span>, <span class="dictionary">order</span> or <span class="dictionary">judgment</span>. On <span class="dictionary">petition</span> by any interested <span class="dictionary">person</span> and after reasonable notice to the obligee, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> in which the obligor was adjudicated delinquent may <span class="dictionary">order</span> the release or other modification of such <span class="dictionary">lien</span>.
		The <span class="dictionary">lien</span> may also be released upon agreement of all <span class="dictionary">persons</span> for whom support and maintenance is ordered under the <span class="dictionary">decree</span>, <span class="dictionary">order</span> or <span class="dictionary">judgment</span>, provided all such <span class="dictionary">persons</span> are sui juris. The clerk shall note the release on the record upon receipt of an <span class="dictionary">affidavit</span> from all the obligees stating that (i) all the obligees are sui juris and (ii) they agreed to the release of the <span class="dictionary">lien</span> on specified real property. Any <span class="dictionary">lien</span> created pursuant to this section shall expire upon the support obligation being paid in full by the obligor. The clerk may release such <span class="dictionary">liens</span> upon receipt of an <span class="dictionary">affidavit</span> of all the obligees that such support obligation has been paid in full, or upon an <span class="dictionary">order</span> or <span class="dictionary">decree</span> of a <span class="dictionary">court</span> of competent <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span>.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 8-388; 1977, c. 617; 1979, c. 496; 1985, c. 529; 1989, c. 8.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
