Companion ruleset
Title 8.01 — Civil Remedies and Procedure →
Rules of Supreme Court of Virginia
167 rules across 5 parts
Virginia’s Rules of Supreme Court govern practice and procedure across the Commonwealth’s courts, promulgated by the Supreme Court of Virginia under its constitutional rulemaking authority. This site covers the General Rules applicable to all proceedings, the Rules of Evidence, Practice and Procedures in Civil Actions, Pretrial and Discovery, and General District Courts. A companion set, Title 8.01 of the Code of Virginia (Civil Remedies and Procedure), is available separately. Browse the full set below, with verbatim rule text and a plain-English summary for every rule.
Source: Supreme Court of Virginia ·
Adopted by the Supreme Court of Virginia ·
Current through Order dated November 25, 2025 (Rule 1:15), the most recent amendment date found in this source across the 5 Parts covered by this build ·
Official source
Part One: General Rules Applicable to All Proceedings
Cited as Rule · 31 rules
- 1:1 Finality of Judgments, Orders and Decrees.
- 1:1A Recovery of Appellate Attorney Fees in Circuit Court.
- 1:1B Jurisdictional Transfer During Appeal of Final or Partial Final Judgment in Circuit Court.
- 1:1C Jurisdictional Transfer During Appeal of Interlocutory Orders.
- 1:2 Appeal From Partial Final Judgment in Multi-Party Cases.
- 1:3 Reporters and Transcripts of Proceedings in Courts.
- 1:4 General Provisions as to Pleadings.
- 1:5 Counsel and Parties Appearing Without Counsel.
- 1:5A Signature Defects.
- 1:6 Res Judicata Claim Preclusion.
- 1:7 Computation of Response Dates.
- 1:8 Amendments.
- 1:9 Discretion of Court.
- 1:10 Verification.
- 1:11 Motion to Strike the Evidence.
- 1:12 Service of Papers after the Initial Process.
- 1:13 Endorsements.
- 1:14 Preservation of the Record.
- 1:15 Local Rules of Court.
- 1:16 Filing Format and Procedure.
- 1:17 Electronic Filing and Service.
- 1:18 Pretrial Scheduling Order.
- 1:19 Pretrial Conferences.
- 1:20 Scheduling Civil Cases for Trial.
- 1:21 Preliminary Voir Dire Information.
- 1:22 Exercise of Challenges to Prospective Jurors.
- 1:23 Note Taking by Jurors.
- 1:24 Requirements for Court Payment Agreements for the Collection of Fines and Costs.
- 1:25 Specialty Dockets.
- 1:26 File Format Requirements for Pleadings, Motions, Notices, Briefs and Exhibits Sought to be Filed or Admitted in Electronic or Digital Form.
- 1:27 Testimony by Audiovisual Means in Circuit Court Civil Cases.
Part Two: Virginia Rules of Evidence
Cited as Rule · 73 rules
- 2:101 TITLE
- 2:102 SCOPE AND CONSTRUCTION OF THESE RULES
- 2:103 Objections and Proffers.
- 2:104 PRELIMINARY DETERMINATIONS
- 2:105 PROOF ADMITTED FOR LIMITED PURPOSES
- 2:106 REMAINDER OF A WRITING OR RECORDED STATEMENT (Rule 2:106(b) derived from Code § 8.01-417.1)
- 2:107 Ultrahazardous Items as Exhibits
- 2:201 JUDICIAL NOTICE OF ADJUDICATIVE FACTS
- 2:202 JUDICIAL NOTICE OF LAW (derived from Code §§ 8.01-386 and 19.2- 265.2).
- 2:203 JUDICIAL NOTICE OF OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS (derived from Code § 8.01-388).
- 2:301 PRESUMPTIONS IN GENERAL IN CIVIL ACTIONS AND PROCEEDINGS
- 2:302 APPLICABILITY OF FEDERAL LAW IN CIVIL ACTIONS AND PROCEEDINGS
- 2:401 DEFINITION OF “RELEVANT EVIDENCE”
- 2:402 RELEVANT EVIDENCE GENERALLY ADMISSIBLE; IRRELEVANT EVIDENCE INADMISSIBLE
- 2:403 EXCLUSION OF RELEVANT EVIDENCE ON GROUNDS OF PREJUDICE, CONFUSION, MISLEADING THE JURY, OR NEEDLESS PRESENTATION OF CUMULATIVE EVIDENCE
- 2:404 Character Evidence Not Admissible to Prove Conduct; Exceptions; Other Crimes
- 2:405 METHODS OF PROVING CHARACTER TRAITS
- 2:406 HABIT AND ROUTINE PRACTICE IN CIVIL CASES (derived from Code § 8.01-397.1)
- 2:407 SUBSEQUENT REMEDIAL MEASURES (derived from Code § 8.01-418.1).
- 2:408 COMPROMISE OFFERS AND CONDUCT OR STATEMENTS DURING NEGOTIATIONS.
- 2:409 EVIDENCE OF ABUSE ADMISSIBLE IN CERTAIN CRIMINAL TRIALS (derived from Code § 19.2-270.6).
- 2:410 Withdrawn Pleas, Offers to Plead, and Related Statements.
- 2:411 INSURANCE
- 2:412 ADMISSIBILITY OF COMPLAINING WITNESS' PRIOR SEXUAL CONDUCT; CRIMINAL SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES; RELEVANCE OF PAST
- 2:413 Evidence of similar crimes in child sexual offense cases (derived from Code § 18.2-67.7:1).
- 2:501 PRIVILEGED COMMUNICATIONS.
- 2:502 ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE.
- 2:503 CLERGY AND COMMUNICANT PRIVILEGE (derived from Code §§ 8.01- 400 and 19.2-271.3).
- 2:504 Spousal Testimony and Marital Communications Privileges (Rule 2:504(a) derived from Code § 8.01-398; and Rule 2:504(b) derived from Code § 19.2-271.2).
- 2:505 Healing Arts Practitioner and Patient Privilege (derived from Code § 8.01- 399).
- 2:506 MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL AND CLIENT PRIVILEGE (derived from Code § 8.01-400.2).
- 2:507 PRIVILEGED COMMUNICATIONS INVOLVING INTERPRETERS (derived from Code §§ 8.01-400.1, 19.2-164, and 19.2-164.1).
- 2:508 Protected Information; Newspersons Engaged in Journalism (derived from Code § 19.2-271.5).
- 2:601 GENERAL RULE OF COMPETENCY
- 2:602 LACK OF PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE
- 2:603 OATH OR AFFIRMATION.
- 2:604 Interpreters (derived from Code § 8.01-406).
- 2:605 COMPETENCY OF COURT PERSONNEL AS WITNESSES (derived from Code § 19.2-271).
- 2:606 JUROR’S COMPETENCY AS A WITNESS
- 2:607 IMPEACHMENT OF WITNESSES (Rule 2:607(b) derived from Code § 8.01- 401(A); and Rule 2:607(c) derived from Code § 8.01-403).
- 2:608 IMPEACHMENT BY EVIDENCE OF REPUTATION FOR
- 2:609 IMPEACHMENT BY EVIDENCE OF CONVICTION OF CRIME (derived from Code § 19.2-269)
- 2:610 BIAS OR PREJUDICE OF A WITNESS
- 2:611 MODE AND ORDER OF INTERROGATION AND PRESENTATION (Rule 2:611(c) derived from Code § 8.01-401(A))
- 2:612 WRITING OR OBJECT USED TO REFRESH MEMORY
- 2:613 PRIOR STATEMENTS OF WITNESS (Rule 2:613(a)(i) derived from Code § 8.01-403; Rule 2:613(b)(i) derived from Code §§ 8.01-404 and 19.2-268.1; and Rule 2:613(b)(ii) derived from Code § 8.01-404).
- 2:614 CALLING AND INTERROGATION OF WITNESSES BY COURT
- 2:615 EXCLUSION OF WITNESSES (Rule 2:615(a) derived from Code §§ 8.01-375, 19.2-184, and 19.2-265.1; Rule 2:615(b) derived from Code § 8.01-375; and Rule 2:615(c) derived from Code § 19.2-265.1).
- 2:701 OPINION TESTIMONY BY LAY WITNESSES (derived from Code § 8.01- 401.3(B))
- 2:702 TESTIMONY BY EXPERTS (Rule 2:702(a)(i) derived from Code § 8.01- 401.3(A))
- 2:703 BASIS OF EXPERT TESTIMONY (Rule 2:703(a) derived from Code § 8.01- 401.1)
- 2:704 OPINION ON ULTIMATE ISSUE (Rule 2:704(a) derived from Code § 8.01- 401.3(B) and (C)).
- 2:705 FACTS OR DATA USED IN TESTIMONY (Rule 2:705(a) derived from Code § 8.01-401.1).
- 2:706 USE OF LEARNED TREATISES WITH EXPERTS (Rule 2:706(a) derived from Code § 8.01-401.1).
- 2:801 DEFINITIONS
- 2:802 HEARSAY RULE
- 2:803 HEARSAY EXCEPTIONS APPLICABLE REGARDLESS OF
- 2:803.1 Statements by Child Describing Acts Relating to Offense Against Children (Derived from Code § 19.2-268.3).
- 2:804 HEARSAY EXCEPTIONS APPLICABLE WHERE THE DECLARANT IS
- 2:805 HEARSAY WITHIN HEARSAY
- 2:806 ATTACKING AND SUPPORTING CREDIBILITY OF HEARSAY DECLARANT
- 2:901 REQUIREMENT OF AUTHENTICATION OR IDENTIFICATION
- 2:902 SELF-AUTHENTICATION (Rule 2:902(6) derived from Code § 8.01-390.3 and Code § 8.01-391(D)).
- 2:903 SUBSCRIBING WITNESS TESTIMONY NOT NECESSARY
- 2:1001 DEFINITIONS
- 2:1002 REQUIREMENT OF PRODUCTION OF ORIGINAL
- 2:1003 USE OF SUBSTITUTE CHECKS (derived from Code § 8.01-391.1(A) and
- 2:1004 ADMISSIBILITY OF OTHER EVIDENCE OF CONTENTS
- 2:1005 ADMISSIBILITY OF COPIES (derived from Code § 8.01-391).
- 2:1006 SUMMARIES.
- 2:1007 TESTIMONY OR WRITTEN ADMISSION OF A PARTY
- 2:1008 FUNCTIONS OF COURT AND JURY
- 2:1101 Applicability of Evidentiary Rules.
Part Three: Practice and Procedures in Civil Actions
Cited as Rule · 28 rules
- 3:1 Scope.
- 3:2 Commencement of Civil Actions.
- 3:3 Filing of Pleadings; Return of Certain Writs.
- 3:4 Copies of Complaint.
- 3:5 The Summons.
- 3:6 Proof of Service.
- 3:7 Bills of Particulars.
- 3:8 Answers, Pleas, Demurrers and Motions.
- 3:9 Counterclaims.
- 3:10 Cross-Claims.
- 3:11 Reply.
- 3:12 Joinder of Additional Parties.
- 3:13 Third-Party Practice.
- 3:14 Intervention.
- 3:14A Intervention by the Commonwealth where constitutionality of law challenged.
- 3:15 Statutory Interpleader.
- 3:16 New Parties.
- 3:17 Substitution of Parties.
- 3:18 General Provisions as to Pleadings.
- 3:19 Default.
- 3:20 Motion for Summary Judgment.
- 3:21 Jury Trial of Right.
- 3:22 Trial by Jury or by the Court.
- 3:22A Examination of Prospective Trial Jurors (Voir Dire).
- 3:23 Use of and Proceedings Before a Commissioner in Chancery.
- 3:24 Appeal of Orders of Quarantine or Isolation Regarding Communicable Diseases of Public Health Threat.
- 3:25 Claims for Attorney Fees.
- 3:26 Temporary Restraining Orders and Preliminary Injunctions.
Part Four: Pretrial Procedures, Dispositions and Production at Trial
Cited as Rule · 19 rules
- 4:0 Application of Part Four.
- 4:1 General Provisions Governing Discovery.
- 4:2 Depositions Before Action or Pending Appeal.
- 4:3 Persons Before Whom Depositions May Be Taken.
- 4:4 Stipulations Regarding Discovery.
- 4:5 Depositions Upon Oral Examination.
- 4:6 Depositions Upon Written Questions.
- 4:6A Number of Depositions.
- 4:7 Use of Depositions in Court Proceedings.
- 4:7A Audio-Visual Depositions.
- 4:8 Interrogatories to Parties.
- 4:9 Production by Parties of Documents, Electronically Stored Information, and Things; Entry on Land for Inspection and Other Purposes; Production at Trial.
- 4:9A Production from Non-Parties of Documents, Electronically Stored Information, and Things and Entry on Land for Inspection and Other Purposes; Production at Trial.
- 4:10 Physical and Mental Examination of Persons.
- 4:11 Requests for Admission.
- 4:12 Failure to Make Discovery; Sanctions.
- 4:13 Pretrial Procedure; Formulating Issues.
- 4:14 Disposition of Discovery Material.
- 4:15 Motions Practice.
Part Seven A: General District Courts – In General
Cited as Rule · 16 rules
- 7A:1 Scope.
- 7A:2 Computation of Time.
- 7A:3 Counsel.
- 7A:4 Reporters and Transcripts of Proceedings in Court.
- 7A:5 Discretion of Court.
- 7A:6 Preservation of the Record.
- 7A:7 Filing Format and Procedure.
- 7A:8 General Provisions as to Pleadings.
- 7A:9 Amendments.
- 7A:10 Copies of Pleadings and Requests for Subpoenas Duces Tecum to be Furnished.
- 7A:11 Endorsements.
- 7A:12 Requests for Subpoenas for Witnesses and Records.
- 7A:13 What Constitutes Noting an Appeal.
- 7A:14 Continuances.
- 7A:15 General Information Relating to Each Court.
- 7A:16 Isolation Proceedings under Article 3.01 of Title 32.1 of the Code of Virginia; Communicable Diseases of Public Health Significance.