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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>66638</law_id><section_number>8.01-506</section_number><catch_line>Proceedings by interrogatories to ascertain estate of debtor; summons; proviso; objections by judgment debtor</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>16.1-103</reference><reference>8.01-327.1</reference><reference>8.01-479</reference><reference>8.01-506.1</reference><reference>8.01-506.2</reference><reference>8.01-507.1</reference><reference>8.01-508</reference><reference>8.01-509</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="18">Executions and Other Means of Recovery</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="6">Interrogatories</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> To ascertain the personal estate of a <span class="dictionary">judgment debtor</span>, and to ascertain any real estate, in or out of the Commonwealth, to which the debtor named in a judgment and fieri facias is entitled, upon the application of the execution creditor, the clerk of the <span class="dictionary">court</span> from which such fieri facias issued shall <span class="dictionary">issue</span> a <span class="dictionary">summons</span> against (i) the execution debtor; (ii) any officer, manager, or partner of a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, or other business entity if such execution debtor is an entity having an office in the Commonwealth; (iii) any employee of such entity if such execution debtor is an entity having an office but no known officers, managers, or partners in the Commonwealth, provided that a copy of the <span class="dictionary">summons</span> shall also be served upon the registered agent of such entity; or (iv) any debtor to, or bailee of, the execution debtor if the <span class="dictionary">judgment creditor</span> or such <span class="dictionary">judgment creditor</span>&#x2019;s attorney files an <span class="dictionary">affidavit</span> that he knows or reasonably suspects such <span class="dictionary">person</span> to be a debtor to, or bailee of, the execution debtor. <a id="paragraph-241753" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-506/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> The <span class="dictionary">summons</span> shall require him to appear before the <span class="dictionary">court</span> from which the fieri facias issued or a commissioner of the county or city in which such <span class="dictionary">court</span> is located, or a like <span class="dictionary">court</span> or a commissioner of a county or city contiguous thereto, or upon request of the execution creditor, before a like <span class="dictionary">court</span> or a commissioner of the county or city in which the execution debtor resides, or of a county or city contiguous thereto, to answer such <span class="dictionary">interrogatories</span> as may be propounded to him by the execution creditor or his attorney, or the <span class="dictionary">court</span>, or the commissioner, as the case may be. If the execution creditor requests that the <span class="dictionary">summons</span> require the execution debtor to appear before a like <span class="dictionary">court</span> of the county or city in which the execution debtor resides, or of a county or city contiguous thereto, the case may be filed or docketed in accordance with the requirements of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Proceedings in court of county or city where execution debtor resides" href="/8.01-506.2/">8.01-506.2</a> prior to issuance of the <span class="dictionary">summons</span>. <a id="paragraph-241754" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-506/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Before proceeding under this section, the execution creditor shall furnish to the <span class="dictionary">court</span> a certificate setting forth that he has not proceeded against the execution debtor under this section within the six months last preceding the date of such certificate. However, for good cause shown, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> may, on <span class="dictionary">motion</span> of the execution creditor, <span class="dictionary">issue</span> an <span class="dictionary">order</span> allowing further proceedings before a commissioner by <span class="dictionary">interrogatories</span> during the six-month period. Any <span class="dictionary">judgment creditor</span> who knowingly gives false information upon any such certificate made under this article is guilty of a Class 1 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>. The issuance of a <span class="dictionary">summons</span> that is not served shall not constitute the act of proceeding against an execution debtor for purposes of making the certificate required by this subsection. <a id="paragraph-241755" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-506/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> The debtor or other <span class="dictionary">person</span> served with such <span class="dictionary">summons</span> shall appear at the time and place mentioned and make answer to such <span class="dictionary">interrogatories</span>. The commissioner shall, at the request of either of the parties, enter in his proceedings and report to the <span class="dictionary">court</span> mentioned in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Interrogatories, answers, etc., to be returned to court" href="/8.01-507.1/">8.01-507.1</a> any and all objections taken by such debtor against answering such <span class="dictionary">interrogatories</span>, or any or either of them, and if the <span class="dictionary">court</span> afterwards <span class="dictionary">sustains</span> any one or more of such objections, the answers given to such <span class="dictionary">interrogatories</span> as to which objections are sustained shall be held for naught in that or any other case. <a id="paragraph-241756" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-506/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> from which a <span class="dictionary">writ of fieri facias</span> issued, upon <span class="dictionary">motion</span> by the execution debtor, or by a <span class="dictionary">person</span> summoned pursuant to clause (iv) of subsection A, for good cause shown, shall transfer debtor <span class="dictionary">interrogatory</span> proceedings to a more convenient forum. <a id="paragraph-241757" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-506/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 8-435; 1952, c. 699; 1968, c. 599; 1977, c. 617; 1978, c. 66; 1979, c. 225; 1985, c. 433; 1987, c. 182; 1991, c. 463; 2005, c. 726; 2009, c. 622; 2024, c. 744.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
