These Rules are known as Virginia Rules of Evidence.
Rule 2:101.TITLE
Part Two: Virginia Rules of Evidence · Last amended 2021 · Last verified July 16, 2026
In one sentenceRule 2:101 supplies the official name for Part Two of the Rules of Supreme Court of Virginia, establishing that the evidence rules that follow are cited collectively as the Virginia Rules of Evidence.
Full Text of Rule 2:101
Plain-English Summary
Rule 2:101 does one job: it names the rules that follow. Everything in Part Two of the Rules of Supreme Court of Virginia — from how courts take judicial notice to who can claim a privilege — falls under the umbrella title “Virginia Rules of Evidence.” Courts, lawyers, and litigants cite these provisions as “Rule 2:” followed by the rule number, and the collective set goes by the name this rule assigns.
The rules took effect July 1, 2012, by order of the Supreme Court of Virginia, adopting a codified body of evidence law where Virginia had long relied on case-by-case common-law development. Rule 2:101 itself carries no substantive evidentiary content — no admissibility standard, no privilege, no burden of proof. It is a label, but a useful one: it tells you that when a rule cites “Rule 2:404” or refers to “these Rules,” it means this codified set adopted in 2012 and amended since.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Rule 2:101 say?
Rule 2:101 states that the rules making up Part Two of the Rules of Supreme Court of Virginia are known as the Virginia Rules of Evidence. It supplies the collective name for the provisions that follow, from judicial notice through privilege.
When did the Virginia Rules of Evidence take effect?
The Supreme Court of Virginia adopted and promulgated the rules by order dated June 1, 2012, with an effective date of July 1, 2012. The rules have been amended several times since, as reflected in the history note attached to each individual rule.
Does Rule 2:101 create any rule of admissibility?
No. It is a naming provision only. The substantive rules on relevance, character evidence, privilege, and every other evidentiary topic appear in the rules that follow; Rule 2:101 tells you what to call the set as a whole.
How do courts and lawyers cite these rules?
By rule number under the “2:” prefix — for example, Rule 2:401 for the definition of relevant evidence — or collectively as the Virginia Rules of Evidence. Briefs, opinions, and jury instructions use both forms interchangeably.
Did Virginia have evidence rules before 2012?
Virginia relied on common-law principles developed through case law before adopting a codified set of evidence rules in 2012. Rule 2:102, immediately following, explains how the new rules relate to that pre-existing case law.
Amendment History
Adopted and promulgated by Order dated June 1, 2012; effective July 1 , 2012. Last amended by Order dated November 13, 2020; effective July 1, 2021.
Source & verification. Rule text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Rules of Supreme Court of Virginia, published by the
Supreme Court of Virginia. Last verified July 16, 2026.
· Official source
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