Virginia Code 25.1-209: Notice of filing of petition
A. Upon the filing of a petition for condemnation, the petitioner shall give the owners 21 days’ notice of the filing of such petition and of its intention to apply to the court to ascertain just compensation for the property to be taken or affected as a result of the taking and use by the petitioner of the property to be so acquired.
Terms Used In Virginia Code 25.1-209
- Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
- Person: means any individual; firm; cooperative; association; corporation; limited liability company; trust; business trust; syndicate; partnership; limited liability partnership; joint venture; receiver; trustee in bankruptcy or any other person acting in a fiduciary or representative capacity, whether appointed by a court or otherwise; club, society or other group or combination acting as a unit; the Commonwealth or any department, agency or instrumentality thereof; any city, county, town, or other political subdivision or any department, agency or instrumentality thereof; or any interstate body to which the Commonwealth is a party. See Virginia Code 25.1-100
- Property: means land and personal property, and any right, title, interest, estate or claim in or to such property. See Virginia Code 25.1-100
B. The notice, along with a copy of the petition, shall be served on the owners. In such notice, the petitioner shall give notice that an answer and grounds of defense shall be filed setting forth any objection or defense to the taking or damaging of his property or to the jurisdiction of the court to hear the case and to elect to proceed with either the appointment of commissioners or empanelment of a jury for the determination of such just compensation.
C. The notice may also include notice of the petitioner’s application for the right of entry as provided in § 25.1-223, if such application is included in the petition as authorized by § 25.1-207.
D. A copy of the notice required to be served on the owners by this section also shall be served in the same manner upon any tenant entitled to participate in the proceeding pursuant to § 25.1-234, whose lease has been duly recorded or whose tenancy is actually known to the petitioner. However, a tenant so notified may participate in the proceeding only as permitted by § 25.1-234.
E. In addition to any other notice required to be served pursuant to this section, in any proceeding instituted by the Commissioner of Highways under this title or Title 33.2, a copy of the notice of the filing of the petition also shall be served, in the same manner as such notice is served upon owners, upon any person owning structures or improvements for which an outdoor advertising permit has been issued by the Commissioner of Highways pursuant to § 33.2-1208.
Code 1919, § 4365; Code 1950, § 25-10; 1962, c. 426, § 25-46.9; 1975, c. 189; 1991, c. 520; 2000, c. 1029; 2003, c. 940; 2006, c. 586; 2010, c. 835.