(a) Counsel of Record tendering a pleading gives assurances that it is filed in good faith and not for delay.
Rule 7A:8.General Provisions as to Pleadings.
Part Seven A: General District Courts – In General · Last amended 2021 · Last verified July 16, 2026
In one sentenceRule 7A:8 requires counsel who tender a pleading to file it in good faith, treats a sworn pleading as an affidavit, requires counsel who files a pleading to sign it and list an address and phone number, and makes any exhibit a pleading mentions part of that pleading.
Full Text of Rule 7A:8
(b) A pleading that is sworn to is an affidavit for all purposes for which an affidavit is required or permitted.
(c) Counsel of Record who files a pleading must sign it and state counsel's address and phone number.
(d) The mention in a pleading of an accompanying exhibit, of itself and without more, make such exhibit a part of the pleading.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 7A:8 sets four baseline requirements for pleadings filed in General District Court. First, counsel of record who tenders a pleading gives an assurance that comes with the act of filing itself: the pleading is offered in good faith and not for delay. Second, a pleading that is sworn to serves as an affidavit for any purpose an affidavit is required or permitted — a litigant does not need a separate affidavit covering the same sworn content.
Third, counsel of record who files a pleading must sign it and state counsel’s address and phone number, so the pleading identifies who is responsible for it and how to reach them. Fourth, mentioning an accompanying exhibit in a pleading makes that exhibit part of the pleading without any further step — the exhibit does not need to be separately incorporated or attached with additional formality once the pleading refers to it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean that counsel “gives assurances” by tendering a pleading?
Rule 7A:8(a) treats the act of tendering a pleading as an assurance from counsel of record that it is filed in good faith and not for delay, without requiring a separate certification to that effect.
If my pleading is sworn to, do I still need a separate affidavit covering the same facts?
No. Rule 7A:8(b) makes a sworn pleading an affidavit for all purposes for which an affidavit is required or permitted.
What must counsel include when signing a pleading filed in General District Court?
Rule 7A:8(c) requires counsel of record who files a pleading to sign it and state counsel’s address and phone number.
If I mention an exhibit in my pleading, do I need to take an extra step to make it part of the pleading?
No. Rule 7A:8(d) states that mentioning an accompanying exhibit in a pleading, without more, makes that exhibit part of the pleading.
Does Rule 7A:8 apply to self-represented litigants as well as attorneys?
Rule 7A:3 defines counsel of record to include a party who appears pro se, so the signing and good-faith requirements of Rule 7A:8 apply to a self-represented litigant filing a pleading in the same way they apply to an attorney.
Amendment History
Last amended by Order dated November 23, 2020; effective March 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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