                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

SPOUSE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR OTHER SPOUSE&#8217;S CONTRACTS, ETC.; MUTUAL
LIABILITY FOR NECESSARIES; EXCEPTION; RESPONSIBILITY OF PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE
(§ 55.1-202)

Except as otherwise provided in this section, a spouse shall not be responsible
for the other spouse&#8217;s contract or tort liability to a third party,
whether such liability arose before or after the marriage. The doctrine of
necessaries as it existed at common law shall apply equally to both spouses,
except where they are permanently living separate and apart, but shall in no
event create any liability between such spouses as to each other. For the
purposes of this section, liability shall not be imposed upon one spouse for
health care furnished to the patient spouse who predeceases the nonpatient
spouse. No lien arising out of a judgment under this section shall attach to the
judgment debtors&#8217; principal residence held by them as tenants by the
entirety or that was held by them as tenants by the entirety prior to the death
of either spouse where the tenancy terminated as a result of the death of either
spouse.

HISTORY: Code 1919, § 5134; 1932, p. 22; Code 1950, § 55-37; 1984, c. 504;
1985, c. 202; 2012, c. 45; 2019, c. 712; 2023, c. 798.