The plaintiff shall make defendants to such motion for judgment all persons having a present interest in the boundary line or lines sought to be ascertained and designated.
§ 8.01-180.Parties defendant; pleadings.
Chapter 3. Actions · Article 16. Establishing Boundaries to Land · Last amended 1977 · Last verified July 16, 2026
In one sentenceThe plaintiff in a boundary-line action must name as defendants every person who currently holds an interest in the boundary line or lines the suit seeks to ascertain and designate.
Full Text of § 8.01-180
Plain-English Summary
Section 8.01-180 tells a plaintiff bringing a boundary-line action who must be joined in the suit. Every person with a present interest in the specific boundary line or lines at issue has to be made a defendant. That requirement makes sense given what a judgment under this article does — Section 8.01-183 later provides that it forever settles the line as to the parties, their heirs, devisees, and assigns, so anyone whose interest could be bound by that outcome needs the chance to be heard.
Leaving out someone with a present interest risks a judgment that does not bind everyone who needed to be bound, undermining the purpose of a proceeding meant to fix the line once and for all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who must a plaintiff join as defendants in a boundary-line action?
All persons having a present interest in the boundary line or lines sought to be ascertained.
Why does the joinder requirement matter so much in this kind of action?
Because the resulting judgment permanently settles the boundary as to the parties and those claiming through them.
Does this section require joining owners whose land is not near the disputed line?
No, it limits the requirement to persons with a present interest in the specific line or lines at issue.
What happens if a person with a present interest is left out of the suit?
The judgment could not fully settle the line as to that person’s interest, since Section 8.01-183 binds only the parties and those claiming through them.
Is this joinder requirement unique to boundary actions?
Section 8.01-180 states it specifically for this article, tailored to the nature of a boundary dispute.
Amendment History
Code 1950, § 8-837; 1954, c. 606; 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
Also known as: virginia boundary lawsuit who must be defendantjoining parties boundary line action virginia8.01-180 parties defendant boundarypresent interest coterminous landowner virginianecessary parties property line dispute