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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>57916</law_id><section_number>8.01-551</section_number><catch_line>When officer to take possession of property</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>8.01-546</reference><reference>8.01-553</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="20">Attachments and Bail in Civil Cases</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="2">Summons; Levy; Lien; Bonds, Etc</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>If so requested by the <span class="dictionary">plaintiff</span> in his <span class="dictionary">petition</span>, the officer to whom the <span class="dictionary">attachment</span> is directed shall take <span class="dictionary">possession</span> of the property specified in the <span class="dictionary">attachment</span>, or when no such property is specified, of any estate or effects of the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span>, or so much thereof as is sufficient to pay the <span class="dictionary">plaintiff</span>&#x2019;s claim. But the officer levying the <span class="dictionary">attachment</span> shall, before taking <span class="dictionary">possession</span> of any property as aforesaid, make his certificate of the estimated fair market value of the property on which the <span class="dictionary">attachment</span> is levied, and he shall not take <span class="dictionary">possession</span> of the same unless and until <span class="dictionary">bond</span> in conformance with &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Plaintiff to file bond" href="/8.01-537.1/">8.01-537.1</a> based on the estimated fair market value of the property as so stated in his certificate is posted. The certificate shall be filed in the clerk&#x2019;s office of the <span class="dictionary">court</span> to which the <span class="dictionary">attachment</span> is returnable and the value so certified shall be subject to review by the <span class="dictionary">court</span> to which the <span class="dictionary">attachment</span> is returnable.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 8-538; 1973, c. 545; 1977, c. 617; 1984, c. 646; 1993, c. 841.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
