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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>55501</law_id><section_number>8.7-304</section_number><catch_line>Bills of lading in a set</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="8.7">Commercial Code &#x2014; Warehouse Receipts, Bills of Lading and Other Documents of Title</unit><unit label="part" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="3">Bills of Lading: Special Provisions</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Except where customary in overseas transportation, a bill of lading must not be issued in a set of parts. The issuer is liable for <span class="dictionary">damages</span> caused by violation of this subsection. <a id="paragraph-203440" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.7-304/#1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="2"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Where a bill of lading is lawfully drawn in a set of parts, each of which is numbered and expressed to be valid only if the goods have not been delivered against any other part, the whole of the parts constitute one bill. <a id="paragraph-203441" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.7-304/#2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="3"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> Where a bill of lading is lawfully issued in a set of parts and different parts are negotiated to different persons, the title of the holder to whom the first due negotiation is made prevails as to both the document and the goods even though any later holder may have received the goods from the carrier in good faith and discharged the carrier&#x2019;s obligation by surrender of his part. <a id="paragraph-203442" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.7-304/#3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="4"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> Any person who negotiates or transfers a single part of a bill of lading drawn in a set is liable to holders of that part as if it were the whole set. <a id="paragraph-203443" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.7-304/#4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="5"><p><span class="prefix-number">5.</span> The bailee is obliged to deliver in accordance with part 4 of this title against the first presented part of a bill of lading lawfully drawn in a set. Such delivery discharges the bailee&#x2019;s obligation on the whole bill. <a id="paragraph-203444" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.7-304/#5"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1964, c. 219.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
