If the action be against several defendants, and a joint possession of all be proved, and the plaintiff be entitled to a verdict, it shall be against all, whether they pleaded separately or jointly.
§ 8.01-142.Verdict when action against several defendants.
Chapter 3. Actions · Article 14. Ejectment · Last amended 1977 · Last verified July 16, 2026
In one sentenceSection 8.01-142 provides that when an ejectment action is brought against several defendants and joint possession is proved, a verdict for the plaintiff runs against all of them together, regardless of whether they pleaded jointly or separately.
Full Text of § 8.01-142
Plain-English Summary
Section 8.01-142 addresses how a verdict comes out when multiple defendants share possession of the disputed premises. If the action names several defendants and the evidence establishes their joint possession, a verdict favoring the plaintiff is entered against all of them as a group.
That outcome does not depend on how the defendants chose to plead. Whether they answered the complaint together or filed separate pleadings, a proven joint possession produces a single verdict against the whole group once the plaintiff establishes the right to recover.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens when several defendants jointly possess the disputed property?
If joint possession is proved and the plaintiff is entitled to a verdict, that verdict is entered against all the defendants together, under Section 8.01-142.
Does it matter whether the defendants pleaded jointly or separately?
No. The statute says the verdict runs against all defendants “whether they pleaded separately or jointly,” so the pleading approach does not change the outcome once joint possession is established.
What if the defendants occupy different, distinct parcels rather than possessing jointly?
That situation is addressed separately under Section 8.01-143, which allows the plaintiff to recover several distinct judgments against defendants who hold separate parcels rather than one joint judgment.
What must the plaintiff prove to get a verdict against all defendants under this section?
The plaintiff must prove joint possession by the defendants and establish the underlying entitlement to a verdict in the action.
Why would the law treat jointly possessing defendants as a single unit for the verdict?
Because their possession is shared rather than divided by parcel, there is no practical way to separate their liability the way the statute allows for defendants holding distinct portions of the land.
Amendment History
Code 1950, § 8-812; 1977, c. 617.
Source & verification. Section text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Code of Virginia, published by the
Code of Virginia, Virginia Division of Legislative Automated Systems. Last verified July 16, 2026.
· Official source
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