<?xml version="1.0"?>
<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>57523</law_id><section_number>8.01-81</section_number><catch_line>Who may compel partition of land; jurisdiction; validation of certain partitions of mineral rights; when shares of two or more laid off together</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>56-90.1</reference><reference>8.01-268</reference><reference>8.01-77</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="3">Actions</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="9">Partition</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Tenants in common, joint tenants, executors with the power to sell, and coparceners of real property, including mineral rights east and south of the Clinch River, shall be compellable to make <span class="dictionary">partition</span> and may compel <span class="dictionary">partition</span>, but in the case of an executor only if the power of sale is properly exercisable at that time under the circumstances; and a <span class="dictionary">lien</span> <span class="dictionary">creditor</span> or any owner of undivided estate in real estate may also compel <span class="dictionary">partition</span> for the purpose of subjecting the estate of his debtor or the rents and profits thereof to the satisfaction of his <span class="dictionary">lien</span>. Any court having general <span class="dictionary">equity</span> <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> has <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> in cases of <span class="dictionary">partition</span>, and in the exercise of such <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span>, shall <span class="dictionary">order</span> <span class="dictionary">partition</span> in kind if the real property in question is susceptible to a practicable division and may take cognizance of all questions of <span class="dictionary">law</span> affecting the legal title that may arise in any proceedings, between such tenants in common, joint tenants, executors with the power to sell, coparceners, and <span class="dictionary">lien</span> <span class="dictionary">creditors</span>.
			Any two or more of the parties, if they so elect, may have their shares laid off together when <span class="dictionary">partition</span> can be conveniently made in that way. If the <span class="dictionary">court orders</span> <span class="dictionary">partition</span> in kind, the court may require that one or more parties pay one or more parties&#x2019; amounts so that the payments, taken together with the court-determined value of the in-kind distributions to the parties, will make the <span class="dictionary">partition</span> in kind just and proportionate in value to the fractional interests held. If the <span class="dictionary">court orders</span> <span class="dictionary">partition</span> in kind, the court shall allocate to the parties that are unknown, unlocatable, or the subject of a <span class="dictionary">default judgment</span> a part of the property representing the combined interests of such parties as determined by the court, and such part of the property shall remain undivided. <a id="paragraph-210757" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-81/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> If the <span class="dictionary">court orders</span> <span class="dictionary">partition</span> in kind, it shall consider: <a id="paragraph-210758" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-81/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> <span class="dictionary">Evidence</span> of the collective duration of ownership or <span class="dictionary">possession</span> of any portion of the property by a <span class="dictionary">party</span> and one or more predecessors in title or predecessors in <span class="dictionary">possession</span> of the property who are or were related to the <span class="dictionary">party</span>; <a id="paragraph-210759" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-81/#B1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> A <span class="dictionary">party</span>&#x2019;s sentimental <span class="dictionary">attachment</span> to any portion of the property, including any <span class="dictionary">attachment</span> arising because such portion of the property has ancestral or other unique or special value to the <span class="dictionary">party</span>; <a id="paragraph-210760" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-81/#B2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> The lawful use being made of any portion of the property by a <span class="dictionary">party</span> and the degree to which the <span class="dictionary">party</span> would be harmed if the <span class="dictionary">party</span> could not continue the same use of such portion of the property; <a id="paragraph-210761" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-81/#B3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> The degree to which a <span class="dictionary">party</span> has contributed to the physical improvement, maintenance, or upkeep of any portion of the property; and <a id="paragraph-210762" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-81/#B4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B5" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">5.</span> Any other relevant factor. <a id="paragraph-210763" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-81/#B5"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> All <span class="dictionary">partitions</span> of mineral rights heretofore had are hereby validated. <a id="paragraph-210764" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-81/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> Unless displaced by a provision of this article, the established principles of Virginia <span class="dictionary">partition</span> <span class="dictionary">law</span> supplement this article. <a id="paragraph-210765" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-81/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 8-690; 1964, c. 167; 1968, c. 412; 1977, c. 617; 1984, c. 226; 2020, cc. 115, 193; 2023, c. 333.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
