Rule 8:7.Format for Filing.

Part Eight: Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Courts · Last amended 2021 · Last verified July 16, 2026

In one sentenceRule 8:7 sets the paper size and spacing for documents filed in these courts, exempts material that cannot be reproduced that way, and forbids the clerk from refusing a non-conforming paper.

Full Text of Rule 8:7

Text sizeJump to: (a) (b)

(a) Except as provided in Rule 8:8(F) and Rule 8:8A, and Rule 1:17 pertaining to Electronically Filed Cases,

(1) All pleadings, motions, briefs and all other documents filed in any clerk's office in any proceeding pursuant to the Rules or statutes must be 8-1/2 by 11 inches in size. All typed material must be double spaced except for quotations.

(2) Subdivision (a)(1) of this Rule must not apply to tables, charts, plats, photographs, and other material that cannot be reasonably reproduced on paper of that size.

(b) No paper will be refused for failure to comply with the provisions of this Rule, but the clerk or judge may require that the paper be redone in compliance with this Rule and substituted for the paper initially filed. Counsel must certify that the substituted paper is identical in content to the paper initially filed.

End

Plain-English Summary

Except for electronically filed cases under Rule 8:8(F), Rule 8:8A and Rule 1:17, every pleading, motion, brief and other document filed in a clerk’s office in these courts must be 8-1/2 by 11 inches, and all typed material must be double spaced except for quotations.

The format requirement bends where it has to. It does not apply to tables, charts, plats, photographs and other material that cannot reasonably be reproduced on paper of that size.

The last provision is the one that matters most in practice: no paper will be refused for failing to comply. The clerk or judge may require that it be redone in compliance and substituted for the paper initially filed, and counsel must certify that the substitute is identical in content to what was first filed. A formatting error costs a re-filing, not a deadline.

Frequently Asked Questions

What paper size and spacing does Rule 8:7 require?

8-1/2 by 11 inches, with all typed material double spaced except for quotations.

Can the clerk refuse a document that does not comply?

No. No paper will be refused for failure to comply. The clerk or judge may require it to be redone in compliance and substituted for the paper initially filed.

What must counsel certify when substituting a corrected paper?

That the substituted paper is identical in content to the paper initially filed.

Are exhibits like plats and photographs covered?

No. The size and spacing requirement does not apply to tables, charts, plats, photographs and other material that cannot be reasonably reproduced on paper of that size.

Does Rule 8:7 apply to electronic filings?

No. It applies except as provided in Rule 8:8(F) and Rule 8:8A, and Rule 1:17 pertaining to electronically filed cases.

Amendment History

Last amended by Order dated March 1, 2016; effective immediately. 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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