                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

ASSURANCES OF VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE (§ 59.1-202)

A. The Attorney General, the attorney for the Commonwealth, or the attorney for
a county, city, or town may accept an assurance of voluntary compliance with
this chapter from any person subject to the provisions of this chapter. Any such
assurance shall be in writing and be filed with and be subject on petition to
the approval of the appropriate circuit court. Such assurance of voluntary
compliance shall not be considered an admission of guilt or a violation for any
purpose. Such assurance of voluntary compliance may at any time be reopened by
the Attorney General, or the attorney for the Commonwealth, or attorney for the
county, city, or town respectively, for additional orders or decrees to enforce
the assurance of voluntary compliance.

B. When an assurance is presented to the circuit court for approval, the
Attorney General, the attorney for the Commonwealth, or the attorney for the
appropriate county, city, or town shall file, in the form of a motion for
judgment or complaint, the allegations which form the basis for the entry of the
assurance. The assurance may provide by its terms for any relief which an
appropriate circuit court could grant, including but not limited to restitution,
arbitration of disputes between the supplier and its customers, investigative
expenses, civil penalties and costs; provided, however, that nothing in this
chapter shall be construed to authorize or require the Commonwealth, the
Attorney General, an attorney for the Commonwealth or the attorney for any
county, city or town to participate in arbitration of violations under this
section.

HISTORY: 1977, c. 635; 1981, c. 423; 1982, c. 13; 1988, c. 850.