Virginia Law

Article 6. Interrogatories.

A. To ascertain the personal estate of a judgment debtor, and to ascertain any real estate, in or out of the Commonwealth, to which the debtor named in a judgment and fieri facias is entitled, upon the application of the execution creditor, the clerk of the court from which such fieri facias issued shall issue a summons against (i) the execution debtor; (ii) any officer, manager, or partner of a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, or other business entity if such execution debtor is an entity having an office in the Commonwealth; (iii) any employee of such entity if such execution debtor is an entity having an office but no known officers, managers, or partners in the Commonwealth, provided that a copy of the summons shall also be served upon the registered agent of such entity; or (iv) any debtor to, or bailee of, the execution debtor if the judgment creditor or such judgment creditor's attorney files an affidavit that he knows or reasonably suspects such person to be a debtor to, or bailee of, the execution debtor.

B. The summons shall require him to appear before the court from which the fieri facias issued or a commissioner of the county or city in which such court is located, or a like court or a commissioner of a county or city contiguous thereto, or upon request of the execution creditor, before a like court or a commissioner of the county or city in which the execution debtor resides, or of a county or city contiguous thereto, to answer such interrogatories as may be propounded to him by the execution creditor or his attorney, or the court, or the commissioner, as the case may be. If the execution creditor requests that the summons require the execution debtor to appear before a like court of the county or city in which the execution debtor resides, or of a county or city contiguous thereto, the case may be filed or docketed in accordance with the requirements of § 8.01-506.2 prior to issuance of the summons.

C. Before proceeding under this section, the execution creditor shall furnish to the court a certificate setting forth that he has not proceeded against the execution debtor under this section within the six months last preceding the date of such certificate. However, for good cause shown, the court may, on motion of the execution creditor, issue an order allowing further proceedings before a commissioner by interrogatories during the six-month period. Any judgment creditor who knowingly gives false information upon any such certificate made under this article is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. The issuance of a summons that is not served shall not constitute the act of proceeding against an execution debtor for purposes of making the certificate required by this subsection.

D. The debtor or other person served with such summons shall appear at the time and place mentioned and make answer to such interrogatories. The commissioner shall, at the request of either of the parties, enter in his proceedings and report to the court mentioned in § 8.01-507.1 any and all objections taken by such debtor against answering such interrogatories, or any or either of them, and if the court afterwards sustains any one or more of such objections, the answers given to such interrogatories as to which objections are sustained shall be held for naught in that or any other case.

E. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, the court from which a writ of fieri facias issued, upon motion by the execution debtor, or by a person summoned pursuant to clause (iv) of subsection A, for good cause shown, shall transfer debtor interrogatory proceedings to a more convenient forum.

Code 1950, § 8-435; 1952, c. 699; 1968, c. 599; 1977, c. 617; 1978, c. 66; 1979, c. 225; 1985, c. 433; 1987, c. 182; 1991, c. 463; 2005, c. 726; 2009, c. 622; 2024, c. 744.

In any proceeding under the provisions of § 8.01-506, a subpoena duces tecum may be issued for a book of accounts or other writing containing material evidence pursuant to Rule 4:9A of the Rules of the Supreme Court. However, notwithstanding the provisions of Rule 4:9A, a subpoena duces tecum issued pursuant to this section may (i) be directed to a party to the case and (ii) be issued by a commissioner and may direct that evidence and any custodians subpoenaed be produced before the commissioner. If the subpoena duces tecum is against a party who is not a resident of the Commonwealth, but who has appeared in the case or been served with process in this Commonwealth, the service may be on his attorney of record.

The provisions of Rule 4:1(c) of the Supreme Court as to protective orders shall be applicable to proceedings under this section.

1978, c. 339; 1986, c. 249; 1993, c. 267.

When pursuant to subsection B of § 8.01-506, a summons requires the execution debtor to appear before a court of the county or city in which the execution debtor resides, or of a county or city contiguous thereto, the execution creditor may have the case filed or docketed in that court as follows:

1. The execution creditor shall file with that court an abstract of the judgment rendered.

2. The execution creditor shall pay a fee to that court in accordance with the provisions of § 16.1-69.48:2 or subdivision 17 of § 17.1-275.

3. After docketing or filing the abstract of judgment and payment of any fees, the court shall issue the summons and any subsequent executions on the filed or docketed judgment, including a subpoena duces tecum pursuant to § 8.01-506.1, and shall conduct such hearings and enter such orders pursuant to §§ 8.01-507, 8.01-507.1, 8.01-508, 8.01-509, and 8.01-510 as may be required.

4. The execution creditor shall file in both courts any releases or satisfactions of judgment.

2005, c. 726.

Any real estate out of this Commonwealth to which it may appear by such answer that the debtor is entitled shall, upon order of the court or commissioner, be forthwith conveyed by him to the officer to whom was delivered such fieri facias, and any money, bank notes, securities, evidences of debt, or other personal estate, tangible or intangible, which it may appear by such answers are in possession of or under the control of the debtor or his debtor or bailee, shall be delivered by him or them, as far as practicable, to such officer, or to some other, or in such manner as may be ordered by the commissioner or court.

Code 1950, § 8-436; 1977, c. 617.

The commissioner shall, at the request of either of the parties, return the interrogatories and answers filed with him, and a report of the proceedings under §§ 8.01-506 and 8.01-507, to the court in which the judgment is rendered.

Code 1950, § 8-437; 1954, c. 624; 1977, c. 617.

If any person summoned under § 8.01-506 fails to appear and answer, or makes any answers which are deemed by the commissioner or court to be evasive, or if, having answered, fails to make such conveyance and delivery as is required by § 8.01-507, the commissioner or court shall issue (i) a capias directed to any sheriff requiring such sheriff to take the person in default and deliver him to the commissioner or court so that he may be compelled to make proper answers, or such conveyance or delivery, as the case may be or (ii) a rule to show cause why the person summoned should not appear and make proper answer or make conveyance and delivery. If the person in default fails to answer or convey and deliver he may be incarcerated until he makes such answers or conveyance and delivery. Where a capias is issued, the person in default shall be admitted to bail as provided in Article 1 (§ 19.2-119 et seq.) of Chapter 9 of Title 19.2 if he cannot be brought promptly before the commissioner or court in the county or city to which the capias is returnable. Upon making such answers, or such conveyance and delivery, he shall be discharged by the commissioner or the court. He may also be discharged by the court from whose clerk's office the capias issued in any case where the court is of the opinion that he was improperly committed or is improperly or unlawfully detained in custody. If the person in default appeals the decision of the commissioner or court, he shall be admitted to bail as provided in Article 1 (§ 19.2-119 et seq.) of Chapter 9 of Title 19.2.

If the person held for failure to appear and answer interrogatories is detained in a jurisdiction other than that where the summons is issued, the sheriff in the requesting jurisdiction shall have the duty to transport such person to the place where interrogatories are to be taken.

Code 1950, § 8-438; 1977, c. 617; 1983, c. 278; 1985, c. 290; 1986, c. 326; 1999, cc. 829, 846.

The court to which the commissioner returns his report may make any order it may deem right, as to the sale and proper application of the estate conveyed and delivered under §§ 8.01-506 and 8.01-507.

Code 1950, § 8-439; 1977, c. 617.

Real estate, conveyed to an officer under this chapter, shall, unless the court otherwise direct, be sold as other property levied on is required to be sold under § 8.01-492 and be conveyed to the purchaser by the officer. An officer to whom there is delivery under this chapter, when the delivery is of money, bank notes, or any goods or chattels, shall dispose of the same as if levied on by him under a fieri facias; and when the delivery is of evidences of debts, other than such bank notes, may receive payment of such debts within sixty days after such delivery. Any evidence of debt or other security, remaining in his hands at the end of such sixty days, shall be returned by him to the clerk's office of such court, and collection thereof may be enforced as prescribed by § 8.01-497. For a failure to make such return, he may be proceeded against as if an express order of the court for such return had been disobeyed.

Code 1950, § 8-440; 1977, c. 617.