If the parties reach a settlement and execute a written agreement disposing of the dispute, the agreement is enforceable in the same manner as any other written contract. Upon request of all parties and consistent with law and public policy, the court shall incorporate the written agreement into the terms of its final decree disposing of a case. In cases in which the dispute involves support for the minor children of the parties, an order incorporating a written agreement shall also include the child support guidelines worksheet and, if applicable, the written reasons for any deviation from the guidelines. The child support guidelines worksheet shall be attached to the order.
§ 8.01-576.11.Effect of written settlement agreement.
Chapter 20.2. Court-referred Dispute Resolution Proceedings · Last amended 1994 · Last verified July 16, 2026
In one sentenceA written agreement reached through court-referred dispute resolution is enforceable like any other contract, and if every party asks, the court will fold it into a final decree, attaching a child support guidelines worksheet — with any deviation explained in writing — whenever the settlement covers support for minor children.
Full Text of § 8.01-576.11
Plain-English Summary
Reaching an agreement in mediation is not the end of the legal story unless the parties want it to be. This section treats a written settlement the same as any contract the parties could have signed on their own — it stands on its own and can be enforced in court like any other written agreement, with or without a judge’s further involvement.
If the parties want the extra weight of a court order behind their deal, they can ask for it. When every party requests it, and the terms are consistent with law and public policy, the court folds the agreement into a final decree that resolves the case.
Child support cases carry an extra requirement. Because the guidelines set a presumptive support amount, any order incorporating a settlement on child support must include the completed guidelines worksheet, attached to the order, along with written reasons for any deviation from what the guidelines would otherwise require.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a mediated settlement agreement enforceable even without a court order?
Yes. The section states the agreement is enforceable in the same manner as any other written contract once the parties execute it.
Will a court automatically turn a settlement agreement into a final decree?
Only if all parties request it, and only if incorporating the agreement is consistent with law and public policy — the court is not required to do so on its own.
What extra paperwork is required for a child support settlement?
An order incorporating a written agreement involving support for minor children must include the child support guidelines worksheet, attached to the order, and any written reasons for deviating from the guidelines.
Can the court refuse to incorporate a settlement agreement into a decree?
The section conditions incorporation on consistency with law and public policy, implying the court can decline to incorporate terms that fail that test.
Does the settlement agreement need to be in writing to get this treatment?
Yes, the section applies specifically to a settlement the parties reach and reduce to a written agreement disposing of the dispute.
Amendment History
1993, c. 905; 1994, c. 687.
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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