Any newspaper published in a city adjoining or wholly or partly within the geographical limits of any county shall be deemed to be published in such county or counties as well as in such city, for the purpose of legal advertisements.
§ 8.01-323.In what counties city newspapers deemed published for purpose of legal advertisements.
Chapter 8. Process · Article 4. Who to Be Served · Last amended 1977 · Last verified July 16, 2026
In one sentenceSection 8.01-323 treats a newspaper published in a city that adjoins or overlaps a county as also published in that county for purposes of legal advertisements, so a single city newspaper can satisfy publication requirements for the surrounding county.
Full Text of § 8.01-323
Plain-English Summary
Legal notices often must run in a newspaper serving the jurisdiction where a case is pending, and Section 8.01-323 keeps that requirement workable in areas where a city and its surrounding county share a media market. Any newspaper published in a city adjoining or wholly or partly within the geographical limits of a county is deemed to be published in that county as well as in the city, for purposes of legal advertisements.
The rule can reach more than one county at once, since it refers to “such county or counties” a city adjoins or overlaps. Practically, it means a party publishing a legal notice does not need to find a separate county-based paper when a qualifying city newspaper already covers the area.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a legal notice have to run in a newspaper physically printed in the county?
No. A newspaper published in a city adjoining or overlapping a county is deemed published in that county too, for purposes of legal advertisements.
What triggers this rule — any city newspaper, or only certain ones?
Any newspaper published in a city adjoining or wholly or partly within the geographical limits of a county.
Can this rule apply to more than one county at once?
Yes. The section covers “such county or counties,” so a single city newspaper can satisfy publication for multiple adjoining counties.
What is the practical effect of this section?
It lets a single city newspaper serve legal-notice publication needs for a surrounding county without requiring a separate county publication.
Does this section address anything besides legal advertisements?
No. It is limited to publication for purposes of legal advertisements.
Amendment History
Code 1950, § 8-80; 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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