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§ 8.01-465.31.(Effective July 1, 2027) Relation to other law.

Chapter 17.4. Uniform Consumer Debt Default Judgments Act · Last amended 2026 · Last verified July 16, 2026

In one sentenceEffective July 1, 2027, this section confirms that Chapter 17.4's protections add to, rather than replace, whatever other rights and remedies Virginia law already gives a consumer facing a debt-collection lawsuit.

Full Text of § 8.01-465.31

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The provisions of this chapter supplement all rights and remedies available to a consumer under any other law of the Commonwealth.

Plain-English Summary

A new consumer-protection chapter could be read to crowd out older protections if it said nothing about how it fits with the rest of Virginia law. This section heads that reading off directly: the provisions of this chapter “supplement all rights and remedies available to a consumer under any other law of the Commonwealth.”

That framing makes the chapter a floor, not a ceiling. A consumer defending a debt-collection case can rely on this chapter's complaint and notice requirements while still invoking whatever other statutory or common-law protections Virginia law already provides — nothing here narrows those existing avenues.

The section functions as a rule of construction rather than a source of new rights on its own. It does not create, for example, a general right to reopen a default judgment — that kind of relief comes from other law, such as § 8.01-428 — but it makes clear this chapter does not cut off access to that other law.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this chapter replace other consumer-protection laws in Virginia?

No, “the provisions of this chapter supplement all rights and remedies available to a consumer under any other law of the Commonwealth.”

Can a consumer still rely on other Virginia laws when defending a debt collection case?

Yes, this chapter adds to those rights rather than displacing them.

Does this section limit the remedies available to a consumer?

No, it is an expansive rather than a limiting provision — it supplements existing rights.

Does this section create a general right to reopen a default judgment?

No, that kind of relief exists under other law, such as § 8.01-428; this section only confirms the chapter does not cut off such rights.

Is this section substantive in its own right, or a rule of construction?

It functions as a rule of construction, clarifying how the chapter interacts with the rest of Virginia law rather than creating new substantive rights itself.

Amendment History

2026, c. 395.

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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