reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
VA Code § 8.01-385 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 8.01 - Civil Remedies and Procedure|Chapter 14 - Evidence|§ 8.01-385. Definitions

As used in this chapter:1. The term "United States" shall be deemed to refer to the United States of America and to include any of its territories, commonwealths, insular possessions, the District of Columbia, and any of its other political subdivisions other than states.2. The term "court" shall be deemed to include the courts of this Commonwealth, any other person or body appointed by it or acting under its process or authority in a judicial or quasi-judicial capacity, and any other judicial, quasi-judicial, or fact-finding body acting pursuant to the laws of the Commonwealth, including without limitation, the State Corporation Commission and the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission.3. The term "political subdivision" shall: (i) as applied to the United States, include any other political subdivision other than states and including without limitation the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; (ii) as applied to other countries, include without limitation states, counties, cities, towns, boroughs, and any division thereof recognized and vested with the authority to enact or promulgate ordinances, rules, and regulations having the force or effect of law; (iii) as applied to this Commonwealth and other states of the United States, include without limitation counties, cities, towns, boroughs, and any other division thereof recognized and vested with the authority to enact or promulgate ordinances, rules, and regulations having the force or effect of law.4. The term "agency" shall be deemed to include without limitation any department, division, commission, association, board, or other administrative body established pursuant to the laws of a jurisdiction.5. The term "official publication" includes any registry or listing of licenses, permits, or registrations posted on the official website of an agency or political subdivision.6. The term "publish" includes posting by an agency or political subdivision on its official website.7. The term "required to be published pursuant to the laws thereof" includes being subject to disclosure under § 54.1-108.1977, c. 617; 2011, c. 81.
VA Code § 8.01-386 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 8.01 - Civil Remedies and Procedure|Chapter 14 - Evidence|§ 8.01-386. Judicial notice of laws (Supreme Court Rule 2:202 derived in part from this section)

A. Whenever, in any civil action it becomes necessary to ascertain what the law, statutory or otherwise, of this Commonwealth, of another state, of the United States, of another country, or of any political subdivision or agency of the same is, or was, at any time, the court shall take judicial notice thereof whether specially pleaded or not.B. The court, in taking such notice, may consult any book, record, register, journal, or other official document or publication purporting to contain, state, or explain such law, and may consider any evidence or other information or argument that is offered on the subject.Code 1950, §§ 8-264, 8-270, 8-273; 1960, c. 504; 1977, c. 617.
VA Code § 8.01-387 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 8.01 - Civil Remedies and Procedure|Chapter 14 - Evidence|§ 8.01-387. Notice by courts and officers of signatures of judges and Governor

All courts and officers shall take notice of the signature of any of the judges, or of the Governor of this Commonwealth, to any judicial or official document.Code 1950, § 8-274; 1977, c. 617.
VA Code § 8.01-388 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 8.01 - Civil Remedies and Procedure|Chapter 14 - Evidence|§ 8.01-388. Judicial notice of official publications (Supreme Court Rule 2:203 derived from this section)

The court shall take judicial notice of the contents of all official publications of this Commonwealth and its political subdivisions and agencies required to be published pursuant to the laws thereof, and of all such official publications of other states, of the United States, of other countries, and of the political subdivisions and agencies of each published within those jurisdictions pursuant to the laws thereof.1977, c. 617.
VA Code § 8.01-389 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 8.01 - Civil Remedies and Procedure|Chapter 14 - Evidence|§ 8.01-389. Judicial records as evidence; full faith and credit; recitals in deeds, deeds of trust, and mortgages; "records" defined; certification

A. The records of any judicial proceeding and any other official records of any court of this Commonwealth shall be received as prima facie evidence provided that such records are certified by the clerk of the court where preserved to be a true record. For the purposes of this section, judicial proceeding shall include the review of a petition and issuance of a temporary detention order under § 16.1-340.1 or 37.2-809.A1. The records of any judicial proceeding and any other official record of any court of another state or country, or of the United States, shall be received as prima facie evidence provided that such records are certified by the clerk of the court where preserved to be a true record.B. Every court of this Commonwealth shall give such records of courts not of this Commonwealth the full faith and credit given to them in the courts of the jurisdiction from whence they come.B1. In any instance in which a court not of this Commonwealth shall have entered an order of injunction limiting or preventing access by any person to the courts of this Commonwealth without that person having had notice and an opportunity for a hearing prior to the entry of such foreign order, that foreign order is not required to be given full faith and credit in any Virginia court. The Virginia court may, in its discretion, hold a hearing to determine the adequacy of notice and opportunity for hearing in the foreign court.C. Specifically, recitals of any fact in a deed or deed of trust of record conveying any interest in real property shall be prima facie evidence of that fact.D. "Records" as used in this article, shall be deemed to include any memorandum, report, paper, data compilation, or other record in any form, or any combination thereof.E. The use of the term "copy teste," "true copy," or "certified copy" or a substantially similar term on a certification affixed or annexed to a copy of an official record maintained by a clerk of court that bears the signature of the clerk or any deputy clerk, and that has the name of the court where such record is preserved on the document or on the certification, shall be prima facie proof that such record is certified by such clerk to be a true copy of the official record kept in the office of the clerk. Nothing herein shall be construed to require or prevent a clerk from using an official seal or prevent a clerk from using any other acceptable method of certification for a court record.F. The certification of any record pursuant to this section shall automatically authenticate such record for the purpose of its admission into evidence in any trial, hearing, or proceeding.Code 1950, §§ 8-271, 8-275, 8-276, 8-276.1; 1977, c. 617; 1980, c. 453; 1995, c. 594; 1996, c. 417; 2008, c. 786; 2010, cc. 778, 825; 2013, c. 263.
VA Code § 8.01-390 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 8.01 - Civil Remedies and Procedure|Chapter 14 - Evidence|§ 8.01-390. Nonjudicial records as evidence (Subdivision (10)(a) of Supreme Court Rule 2:803 derived from subsection C of this section)

A. Copies of records of this Commonwealth, of another state, of the United States, of another country, or of any political subdivision or agency of the same, other than those located in a clerk's office of a court, shall be received as prima facie evidence, provided that such copies are authenticated to be true copies either by the custodian thereof or by the person to whom the custodian reports, if they are different. A digitally certified copy of a record provided pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 38.2 (§ 2.2-3817 et seq.) of Title 2.2, whether in electronic form or in print form with visible assurance of the digital signature, shall be deemed to be authenticated by the custodian of the record unless evidence is presented to the contrary.B. Records and recordings of 911 emergency service calls shall be deemed authentic transcriptions or recordings of the original statements if they are accompanied by a certificate that meets the provisions of subsection A and the certificate contains the date and time of the incoming call and the incoming phone number, if available, associated with the call.C. An affidavit signed by an officer deemed to have custody of such an official record, or by his deputy, stating that after a diligent search, no record or entry of such record is found to exist among the records in his office is admissible as evidence that his office has no such record or entry.1977, c. 617; 1996, c. 668; 2000, c. 334; 2014, c. 353; 2017, c. 738.
VA Code § 8.01-390.1 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 8.01 - Civil Remedies and Procedure|Chapter 14 - Evidence|§ 8.01-390.1. School records as evidence

In a proceeding where a minor's school records are material and otherwise admissible, copies of such school records shall be received as evidence in any matter, provided that such copies are authenticated to be true and accurate copies by the custodian thereof, or by the person to whom the custodian reports if they are different. An affidavit signed by the custodian of such records, or by the person to whom the custodian reports if they are different, stating that such records are true and accurate copies of such records shall be valid authentication for the purposes of this section. Except for copies of report cards and letters previously sent to parents, subjective information, including observations, comments or opinions shall be redacted, by the court, from any records prior to admittance of the records into evidence pursuant to this section. Any party seeking to introduce records authenticated by affidavit under this section shall deliver notice and a copy of such records to the other parties so that they are received not less than seven days prior to the introduction of such records.2000, c. 558; 2009, c. 212; 2012, c. 499.
VA Code § 8.01-390.2 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 8.01 - Civil Remedies and Procedure|Chapter 14 - Evidence|§ 8.01-390.2. Reports by Chief Medical Examiner received as evidence

Reports of investigations made by the Chief Medical Examiner, his assistants or medical examiners, and the records and certified reports of autopsies made under the authority of Title 32.1, shall be received as evidence in any court or other proceeding, and copies of photographs, laboratory findings and reports in the office of the Chief Medical Examiner or any medical examiner, when duly attested by the Chief Medical Examiner or an Assistant Chief Medical Examiner, shall be received as evidence in any court or other proceeding for any purpose for which the original could be received without proof of the official character or the person whose name is signed thereto.2003, c. 459.
VA Code § 8.01-390.3 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 8.01 - Civil Remedies and Procedure|Chapter 14 - Evidence|§ 8.01-390.3. Business records as evidence (Subdivision (6) of Supreme Court Rule 2:902 derived in part from this section)

A. In any proceeding where a business record is material and otherwise admissible, authentication of the record and the foundation required by subdivision (6) of Rule 2:803 of the Rules of Supreme Court of Virginia may be laid by (i) witness testimony, (ii) a certification of the authenticity of and foundation for the record made by the custodian of such record or other qualified witness either by affidavit or by declaration pursuant to § 8.01-4.3, or (iii) a combination of witness testimony and a certification.B. The proponent of a business record shall (i) give written notice to all other parties if a certification under this section will be relied upon in whole or in part in authenticating and laying the foundation for admission of such record and (ii) provide a copy of the record and the certification to all other parties, so that all parties have a fair opportunity to challenge the record and certification. The notice and copy of the record and certification shall be provided no later than 15 days in advance of the trial or hearing, unless an order of the court specifies a different time. Objections shall be made within five days thereafter, unless an order of the court specifies a different time. If any party timely objects to reliance upon the certification, the authentication and foundation required by subdivision (6) of Rule 2:803 of the Rules of Supreme Court of Virginia shall be made by witness testimony unless the objection is withdrawn.C. A certified business record that satisfies the requirements of this section shall be self-authenticating and requires no extrinsic evidence of authenticity.D. A copy of a business record may be offered in lieu of an original upon satisfaction of the requirements of subsection D of § 8.01-391 by witness testimony, a certification, or a combination of testimony and a certification.2014, c. 398; 2017, c. 223.
VA Code § 8.01-391.1 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 8.01 - Civil Remedies and Procedure|Chapter 14 - Evidence|§ 8.01-391.1. Substitute checks as evidence (Supreme Court Rule 2:1003 derived from subsections a and B of this section)

A. A substitute check created pursuant to the federal Check Clearing for the 21st Century Evidence Act (Check 21 Act), 12 U.S.C. § 5001 et seq., shall be admissible in evidence in any legal proceeding, civil or criminal, to the same extent the original check would be.B. A document received from a banking institution that is designated as a "substitute check" and that bears the legend "This is a legal copy of your check. You can use it the same way you would use the original check" shall be presumed to be a substitute check created pursuant to the Check 21 Act.C. Any person who shall forge a substitute check or utter or attempt to employ as true any forged substitute check shall be punished as provided in § 18.2-172.2006, c. 127.
VA Code § 8.01-392 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 8.01 - Civil Remedies and Procedure|Chapter 14 - Evidence|§ 8.01-392. When court order book or equivalent is lost or illegible, what matters may be reentered

When any book, microfilm record, or record in other form containing judgments, decrees, orders or proceedings of a court is lost, destroyed, or illegible, and there can be again entered correctly, by means of any writing, any matters which were in such book, such court may cause its clerk to have such matters reentered, and such reentries shall have the same effect as the original entries.Code 1950, § 8-280; 1977, c. 617.
VA Code § 8.01-393 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 8.01 - Civil Remedies and Procedure|Chapter 14 - Evidence|§ 8.01-393. When book or paper or equivalent in clerk's office lost, destroyed, or illegible to be again recorded

When any such book, or any book, microfilm record, or record in other form containing the record of wills, deeds, or other papers, or any other paper filed in a clerk's office, is lost, destroyed, or is illegible, the clerk in whose office such book or paper was, upon the production to him of any original paper which was recorded in such book, or of an attested copy of the record thereof, or of anything else in such book, or of any paper so filed, shall, on application, record the same anew. The record shall show whether it is made from an original or a copy, and how the paper from which it was made was authenticated or attested. Such record shall have, as far as may be, the same effect that the record or paper for which it is substituted would have had.Code 1950, § 8-281; 1977, c. 617.
VA Code § 8.01-394 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 8.01 - Civil Remedies and Procedure|Chapter 14 - Evidence|§ 8.01-394. How contents of any such lost record, etc., proved

A. Any person desirous of proving the contents of any such book, record, or other paper as is mentioned in either § 8.01-392 or § 8.01-393, may file before the circuit court of the county or city in which such record, book, or other paper was a petition in writing, stating the nature of the record, book, or paper, the contents of which he desires to prove, and what persons may be affected by such proof. Thereupon the court shall appoint a time and place for proceeding on such petition, of which reasonable notice shall be given by him to all parties named in such petition, or interested in the proceedings, and to any others who shall be known to the court, or who shall claim to be so interested. If any party interested other than the petitioner, or who may be affected by the proof, be a person under a disability, the court shall appoint a guardian ad litem to represent his interest in the proceeding.B. The evidence upon said petition shall be in writing and filed, and the court shall make such order in respect to such record, book, or other paper, or anything therein, as may be necessary to secure the benefits thereof to the parties interested, or such other order as may be proper in the case.Before such court shall make such order, the petitioner shall cause to be served on the persons interested a notice in writing that he will apply for such order, in the manner provided by § 8.01-296, at least ten days before such order is to be made; but if such persons, or any of them, do not reside in this Commonwealth, or after due diligence cannot be found therein, an order of publication may be issued as provided by §§ 8.01-316 and 8.01-317.Code 1950, §§ 8-282, 8-283; 1977, c. 617.
VA Code § 8.01-395 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 8.01 - Civil Remedies and Procedure|Chapter 14 - Evidence|§ 8.01-395. Validating certain proceedings under § 8.01-394

All proceedings had in any case, under the provisions of § 8.01-394, wherein a final judgment or decree has stood unimpeached for more than twenty years are declared to be valid and binding in all respects.Code 1950, § 8-284; 1977, c. 617.
VA Code § 8.01-396 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 8.01 - Civil Remedies and Procedure|Chapter 14 - Evidence|§ 8.01-396. No person incompetent to testify by reason of interest, or because a party

No person shall be incompetent to testify because of interest, or because of his being a party to any civil action; but he shall, if otherwise competent to testify, and subject to the rules of evidence and practice applicable to other witnesses, be competent to give evidence in his own behalf and be competent and compellable to attend and give evidence on behalf of any other party to such action; but, in any case, the court, for good cause shown, may require any such person to attend and testify ore tenus and, upon his failure to so attend and testify, may exclude his deposition.Code 1950, § 8-285; 1977, c. 617.
VA Code § 8.01-396.1 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 8.01 - Civil Remedies and Procedure|Chapter 14 - Evidence|§ 8.01-396.1. Competency of witness

No child shall be deemed incompetent to testify solely because of age.1993, cc. 441, 605.
VA Code § 8.01-397 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 8.01 - Civil Remedies and Procedure|Chapter 14 - Evidence|§ 8.01-397. Corroboration required and evidence receivable when one party incapable of testifying (subdivision (b)(5) of Supreme Court Rule 2:804 derived from this section)

In an action by or against a person who, from any cause, is incapable of testifying, or by or against the committee, trustee, executor, administrator, heir, or other representative of the person so incapable of testifying, no judgment or decree shall be rendered in favor of an adverse or interested party founded on his uncorroborated testimony. In any such action, whether such adverse party testifies or not, all entries, memoranda, and declarations by the party so incapable of testifying made while he was capable, relevant to the matter in issue, may be received as evidence in all proceedings including without limitation those to which a person under a disability is a party. The phrase "from any cause" as used in this section shall not include situations in which the party who is incapable of testifying has rendered himself unable to testify by an intentional self-inflicted injury.For the purposes of this section, and in addition to corroboration by any other competent evidence, an entry authored by an adverse or interested party contained in a business record may be competent evidence for corroboration of the testimony of an adverse or interested party. If authentication of the business record is not admitted in a request for admission, such business record shall be authenticated by a person other than the author of the entry who is not an adverse or interested party whose conduct is at issue in the allegations of the complaint.Code 1950, § 8-286; 1977, c. 617; 1988, c. 426; 2013, cc. 61, 637.
VA Code § 8.01-397.1 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 8.01 - Civil Remedies and Procedure|Chapter 14 - Evidence|§ 8.01-397.1. Evidence of habit or routine practice; defined (Supreme Court Rule 2:406 derived from this section)

A. Admissibility. Evidence of the habit of a person or of the routine practice of an organization, whether corroborated or not and regardless of the presence of eye witnesses, is relevant to prove that the conduct of the person or organization on a particular occasion was in conformity with the habit or routine practice. Evidence of prior conduct may be relevant to rebut evidence of habit or routine practice.B. Habit and routine practice defined. A "habit" is a person's regular response to repeated specific situations. A "routine practice" is a regular course of conduct of a group of persons or an organization in response to repeated specific situations.C. The provisions of this section are applicable only in civil proceedings.2000, c. 1026.
VA Code § 8.01-398 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 8.01 - Civil Remedies and Procedure|Chapter 14 - Evidence|§ 8.01-398. Privileged marital communications (Subsection (a) of Supreme Court Rule 2:504 derived from this section)

Husband and wife shall be competent witnesses to testify for or against each other in all civil actions.In any civil proceeding, a person has a privilege to refuse to disclose, and to prevent anyone else from disclosing, any confidential communication between his spouse and him during their marriage, regardless of whether he is married to that spouse at the time he objects to disclosure. This privilege may not be asserted in any proceeding in which the spouses are adverse parties, or in which either spouse is charged with a crime or tort against the person or property of the other or against the minor child of either spouse. For the purposes of this section, "confidential communication" means a communication made privately by a person to his spouse that is not intended for disclosure to any other person.Code 1950, §§ 8-287, 8-289; 1977, c. 617; 2005, c. 809.
VA Code § 8.01-400 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 8.01 - Civil Remedies and Procedure|Chapter 14 - Evidence|§ 8.01-400. Communications between ministers of religion and persons they counsel or advise (Supreme Court Rule 2:503 derived in part from this section)

No regular minister, priest, rabbi, or accredited practitioner over the age of eighteen years, of any religious organization or denomination usually referred to as a church, shall be required to give testimony as a witness or to relinquish notes, records or any written documentation made by such person, or disclose the contents of any such notes, records or written documentation, in discovery proceedings in any civil action which would disclose any information communicated to him in a confidential manner, properly entrusted to him in his professional capacity and necessary to enable him to discharge the functions of his office according to the usual course of his practice or discipline, wherein such person so communicating such information about himself or another is seeking spiritual counsel and advice relative to and growing out of the information so imparted.Code 1950, § 8-289.2; 1962, c. 466; 1977, c. 617; 1979, c. 3; 1994, c. 198.