§ 8.01-260.Proper venue; preferred forum in certain actions; permissible forums for other actions.
Chapter 5. Venue · Last amended 1977 · Last verified July 16, 2026
Full Text of § 8.01-260
Plain-English Summary
Section 8.01-260 is the hinge that connects the venue chapter’s general provisions to its two operative lists. It does not itself name any forum. Instead, it says that for any action the chapter reaches, venue counts as proper only when it matches what § 8.01-261 (Category A, preferred venue) or § 8.01-262 (Category B, permissible venue) requires.
The section also flags that this rule is not absolute. It operates “subject to” §§ 8.01-264 and 8.01-265 — the sections that let a court excuse an unraised venue objection, transfer a case to a proper forum, or, in limited circumstances, retain a case in a forum that would otherwise be improper. Read together, these cross-references show how the venue chapter is built: a default rule in § 8.01-260, detailed forum lists in §§ 8.01-261 and 8.01-262, and override mechanisms in §§ 8.01-264 and 8.01-265.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which sections determine whether venue is proper in a Virginia civil action?
Section 8.01-260 points to §§ 8.01-261 and 8.01-262 — the preferred venue (Category A) and permissible venue (Category B) provisions.
Does § 8.01-260 apply to every civil action in Virginia?
No. It applies only to actions not expressly excluded from Chapter 5’s operation, such as those listed in § 8.01-259.
Can a court deviate from §§ 8.01-261 and 8.01-262?
Yes, in the circumstances covered by §§ 8.01-264 and 8.01-265, to which § 8.01-260 is expressly made subject.
Does § 8.01-260 name any specific county or city as a proper venue?
No. It sets the general rule and defers the specific forums to §§ 8.01-261 and 8.01-262.
What happens to an action excluded from Chapter 5’s operation?
Section 8.01-260 does not govern its venue; those actions are handled outside this chapter, as described in § 8.01-259.
Amendment History
1977, c. 617.