Virginia Law

When payment or satisfaction has been made of a debt secured by a mechanic's lien it shall be released in the manner provided in §§ 55.1-339 and 55.1-341, insofar as appropriate.

Code 1919, § 6456; 1926, p. 80; 1930, p. 69; 1932, p. 120; 1944, p. 198.

Any person who owns or has any interest in real estate or personal property on which such lien exists may, after twenty days' notice thereof to the person entitled to such lien, apply to the circuit or corporation court of the county or corporation in whose clerk's office such encumbrance is recorded, or to the Circuit Court of the City of Richmond, if it be in the clerk's office of such court, to have the same released or discharged; and upon proof that it has been paid or discharged, or upon its appearing to the court that more than twenty years have elapsed since the maturity of the lien, raising a presumption of payment, and which is not rebutted at the hearing, or upon proof that no suit, as defined by § 43-17, has been brought to enforce the same within the time prescribed by such section; such court shall order the same to be recorded by the clerk. Such release shall reference the book and page where the original lien securing such interest in real estate or personal property is recorded.

All releases made prior to June 24, 1944, by any court under this section upon such presumption of payment so arising and not rebutted, shall be validated.

Code 1919, § 6456; 1926, p. 81; 1930, p. 70; 1932, p. 121; 1944, p. 199; 2014, c. 330.

Repealed by Acts 1994, c. 432.

In any suit brought under the provisions of § 43-22, the owner of the building and premises to which the lien, or liens, sought to be enforced shall have attached, the general contractor for such building or other parties in interest may, after five days' notice to the lienor, or lienors, apply to the court in which such suit shall be pending, or to the judge thereof in vacation, for permission to pay into court an amount of money sufficient to discharge such lien, or liens, and the costs of the suit or for permission to file a bond in the penalty of double the amount of such lien, or liens, and costs, with surety to be approved by the court, or judge, conditioned for the payment of such judgment adjudicating the lien or liens to be valid and determining the amount for which the same would have been enforceable against the real estate as may be rendered by the court upon the hearing of the case on its merits, which permission shall be granted by the court, or judge, in either such case, unless good cause be shown against the same by some party in interest.

Upon the payment of such money into court, or upon the filing of such bond, as the case may be, after the court has granted permission for the same to be done, the property affected thereby shall stand released from such lien, or liens, and the money so paid in, or the bond so filed, as the case may be, shall be subject to the final judgment of the court upon the hearing of the case on its merits.

1936, p. 492; Michie Code 1942, § 6437a; 1962, c. 166; 1976, c. 388; 1992, c. 532.

At any time after the perfecting of any such lien and before a suit be brought for the enforcement thereof, the owner of the property affected thereby, the general contractor or other parties in interest may, after five days' notice to the lienor, apply to the court having jurisdiction of a suit for the enforcement of such lien, or to the judge thereof in vacation, for permission to make such payment into court, or to file such bond, as prescribed in § 43-70, which permission, in either such event, shall be granted by such court, or judge, unless good cause be shown against the same by some party in interest. Upon the granting of such permission, and the payment of such money into court, or the filing of such bond, as the case may be, the property affected thereby shall stand released from such lien.

Such money, or bond, as the case may be, shall be held under the control of the court and shall be subject to the final judgment of the court adjudicating the lien or liens to be valid and determining the amount for which the same would have been enforceable against the real estate in any suit or action thereafter brought for the ascertainment of the rights of the parties in interest, with respect hereto, or, shall be paid out and disposed of as the parties in interest may direct, in the event the matters in controversy with respect thereto be settled and adjusted between the parties without suit or action.

The sureties on any such bond, which may be involved in any suit or action brought under the provisions of this section, shall be made parties to such suit or action.

1936, p. 493; Michie Code 1942, § 6437b; 1962, c. 166; 1976, c. 390; 1992, c. 532.