                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

SUPREME COURT MAY PRESCRIBE RULES; EFFECTIVE DATE AND AVAILABILITY; INDEXED, AND
ANNOTATED; EFFECT OF SUBSEQUENT ENACTMENTS OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY (§ 8.01-3)

A. The Supreme Court, subject to &#xA7;&#xA7; 17.1-503 and 16.1-69.32, may, from
time to time, prescribe the forms of writs and make general regulations for the
practice in all courts of the Commonwealth; and may prepare a system of rules of
practice and a system of pleading and the forms of process and may prepare rules
of evidence to be used in all such courts. This section shall be liberally
construed so as to eliminate unnecessary delays and expenses.

B. The Supreme Court, subject to &#xA7; 30-399, shall enact rules and procedures
as may be necessary for implementing the requirements of Article II, &#xA7; 6-A
of the Constitution of Virginia, empowering the Supreme Court to establish
congressional or state legislative districts as provided for in that section.

C. New rules and amendments to rules shall not become effective until 60 days
from adoption by the Supreme Court, and shall be made available to all courts,
members of the bar, and the public.

D. The Virginia Code Commission shall publish and cause to be properly indexed
and annotated the rules adopted by the Supreme Court, and all amendments thereof
by the Court, and all changes made therein pursuant to subsection E.

E. The General Assembly may, from time to time, by the enactment of a general
law, modify or annul any rules adopted or amended pursuant to this section. In
the case of any variance between a rule and an enactment of the General Assembly
such variance shall be construed so as to give effect to such enactment.

F. Any amendment or addition to the rules of evidence shall be adopted by the
Supreme Court on or before November 15 of any year and shall become effective on
July 1 of the following year unless the General Assembly modifies or annuls any
such amendment or addition by enactment of a general law. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Supreme Court, at any time, may amend the rules to conform with
any enactment of the General Assembly and correct unmistakable printer&#8217;s
errors, misspellings, unmistakable errors to statutory cross-references, and
other unmistakable errors in the rules of evidence.

G. When any rule contained in the rules of evidence is derived from one or more
sections of the Code of Virginia, the Supreme Court shall include a citation to
such section or sections in the title of the rule.

HISTORY: Code 1950, §§ 8-1, 8-1.1, 8-1.2, 8-86.1; 1950, p. 3; 1952, c. 234;
1954, c. 333; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 2; 1972, c. 856; 1977, c. 617; 1979, c. 658;
1984, c. 524; 2003, c. 280; 2012, cc. 688, 708; 2020, Sp. Sess. I, c. 56; 2022,
Sp. Sess. I, c. 1.