The clerk of each court of every circuit shall keep in his office, in a well-bound book, or by microphotographic or electronic process allowed by § 17.1-240, a judgment docket, in which he shall docket, without delay, any judgment for a specific amount of money rendered in his court, and shall likewise docket without delay any judgment for a specific amount of money rendered in this Commonwealth by any other court of this Commonwealth or federal court, when he shall be required so to do by any person interested, on such person delivering to him an authenticated legible abstract of it and also upon the request of any person interested therein, any such judgment rendered by a district court judge whose book has been filed in his office under the provisions of Title 16.1 or of which a legible abstract is delivered to him certified by the district court judge who rendered it; provided, that judgments docketed in the clerk's office of the Circuit Court of the City of Williamsburg and the County of James City shall be docketed and indexed in one book. A specific judgment for money shall state that it is a judgment for money in a specific amount in favor of a named party, against a named party, with that party's address, if known, and it shall further state the time from which the judgment bears interest. An order of restitution docketed pursuant to § 19.2-305.2 shall have the same force and effect as a specific judgment for money and shall state that it is an order of restitution in a specific amount in favor of a named party, against a named party, with that party's address, if known, and it shall further state the time from which the judgment bears interest. If the clerk determines that an abstract is not legible, the clerk shall refuse to record it and shall return it to the person who tendered the abstract for recording. No judgment for assessments described in subsection A of § 17.1-275.5 or for the fees provided for by § 17.1-275.1, 17.1-275.2, 17.1-275.3, 17.1-275.4, 17.1-275.7, 17.1-275.8, 17.1-275.9, 17.1-275.10, 17.1-275.11, 17.1-275.11:1, or 17.1-275.12 or for all other fines and costs shall be recorded as a judgment in favor of the Commonwealth if such fees, assessments, fines, or costs have been fully paid by the defendant by the date of sentencing by the court.
§ 8.01-446.Clerks to keep judgment dockets; what judgments to be docketed therein.
Chapter 17. Judgments and Decrees Generally · Article 5. Keeping of Docket Books; Execution Thereon; Disposal of Exhibits · Last amended 2015 · Last verified July 16, 2026
In one sentenceEvery circuit court clerk must keep a judgment docket, in book, microphotographic, or electronic form, recording without delay every money judgment from his own court and, on request with a certified abstract, judgments from other Virginia or federal courts, with each entry stating the amount, the parties and address, and the interest date.
Full Text of § 8.01-446
Plain-English Summary
Section 8.01-446 is the foundation for Virginia’s judgment lien system: it requires every circuit court clerk to keep a judgment docket, whether in a well-bound book or through the microphotographic or electronic processes § 17.1-240 allows. Any money judgment rendered in the clerk’s own court goes on the docket without delay.
Judgments from elsewhere get docketed too, but only when an interested person asks and delivers an authenticated, legible abstract — this covers money judgments rendered by other Virginia courts, federal courts sitting in the Commonwealth, and district court judgments whose book has been filed or whose legible certified abstract has been delivered. A restitution order docketed under § 19.2-305.2 gets the same treatment as a specific money judgment. If the clerk finds an abstract illegible, he refuses to record it and returns it to whoever tendered it.
Each entry has to say something specific: that it is a judgment for a stated amount of money, in favor of a named party, against a named party, with that party’s address if known, and the date from which the judgment bears interest. The section also carves out an exception — judgments for certain court fees, assessments, and fines are not recorded against a defendant who has already paid them in full by the date of sentencing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What must a clerk record about a judgment on the judgment docket?
That it is a judgment for a specific amount of money, in favor of a named party, against a named party, with that party’s address if known, and the time from which the judgment bears interest.
Does the clerk automatically docket judgments rendered by other courts?
No. Judgments from other Virginia courts or federal courts are docketed only when a person interested requests it and delivers an authenticated legible abstract.
What happens if the abstract delivered to the clerk is not legible?
The clerk refuses to record it and returns it to the person who tendered it.
Are restitution orders treated the same as money judgments on the docket?
Yes, an order of restitution docketed under § 19.2-305.2 has the same force and effect as a specific money judgment and must include the same information.
Are all court fees and fines recorded as judgments in favor of the Commonwealth?
No. Certain assessments and fees are not recorded as a judgment if the defendant has fully paid them by the date of sentencing.
Amendment History
Code 1950, § 8-373; 1952, c. 438; 1962, c. 568; 1973, c. 544; 1975, cc. 182, 575; 1977, c. 617; 1993, c. 412; 1994, c. 538; 1995, c. 434; 1997, c. 579; 2008, cc. 823, 833; 2013, c. 263; 2015, c. 641.
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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