{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/56-260.1.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/56-260.1.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/56-260.1.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/56-260.1.html"}],"law_id":370228,"edition_id":2,"section_id":370228,"structure_id":52727,"section_number":"56-260.1","catch_line":"Contract provisions exempting company from liability unlawful","history":"1964, c. 523.","full_text":"No contract for an easement of right-of-way for a pipeline, power or telephone line, sewer, main or similar works shall contain any provision which purports to exempt the corporation erecting, laying or installing the same from liability for injuries sustained by any person or property by reason of the laying, constructing, maintaining, operating, repairing, altering, replacing or removal of, or any failure or defect in, such line, sewer, main or works. Any such provision in any such contract is hereby declared to be against public policy and shall be null and void and unenforceable; provided, that this provision shall not apply as to any cause of action arising prior to June 26, 1964.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1381219,"text":"No contract for an easement of right-of-way for a pipeline, power or telephone line, sewer, main or similar works shall contain any provision which purports to exempt the corporation erecting, laying or installing the same from liability for injuries sustained by any person or property by reason of the laying, constructing, maintaining, operating, repairing, altering, replacing or removal of, or any failure or defect in, such line, sewer, main or works. Any such provision in any such contract is hereby declared to be against public policy and shall be null and void and unenforceable; provided, that this provision shall not apply as to any cause of action arising prior to June 26, 1964.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":52727,"edition_id":2,"name":"Pipelines and Other Works","identifier":"5","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":8,"parent_id":52720,"metadata":{"child_laws":12,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 03:03:44","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:35:38","permalink":{"id":1476037,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52727,"identifier":"5","token":"56\/10\/5","url":"\/56\/10\/5\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":52720,"edition_id":2,"name":"Heat, Light, Power, Water and Other Utility Companies Generally","identifier":"10","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":12,"parent_id":52702,"metadata":{"child_laws":97,"child_structures":8},"date_created":"2026-08-02 03:03:35","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:35:38","permalink":{"id":1475723,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52720,"identifier":"10","token":"56\/10","url":"\/56\/10\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":52702,"edition_id":2,"name":"Public Service Companies","identifier":"56","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":121,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":710,"child_structures":93},"date_created":"2026-08-02 03:03:25","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:35:34","permalink":{"id":1475475,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52702,"identifier":"56","token":"56","url":"\/56\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":370223,"structure_id":52727,"section_number":"56-257","catch_line":"Manner of installing underground utility lines","url":"\/56-257\/","token":"56\/10\/5\/56-257","metadata":false},{"id":370217,"structure_id":52727,"section_number":"56-257.1","catch_line":"Means of locating nonmetallic underground conduits","url":"\/56-257.1\/","token":"56\/10\/5\/56-257.1","metadata":false},{"id":370218,"structure_id":52727,"section_number":"56-257.2","catch_line":"Gas pipeline safety","url":"\/56-257.2\/","token":"56\/10\/5\/56-257.2","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":370219,"structure_id":52727,"section_number":"56-257.2:1","catch_line":"Projects presenting material risk to public safety; licensed professional engineers; regulations","url":"\/56-257.2_1\/","token":"56\/10\/5\/56-257.2_1","metadata":false},{"id":370220,"structure_id":52727,"section_number":"56-257.3","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/56-257.3\/","token":"56\/10\/5\/56-257.3","metadata":false},{"id":370221,"structure_id":52727,"section_number":"56-257.4","catch_line":"Report by the State Corporation Commission on investigation of natural gas utilities incident","url":"\/56-257.4\/","token":"56\/10\/5\/56-257.4","metadata":false},{"id":370222,"structure_id":52727,"section_number":"56-257.5","catch_line":"Manner of installing underground utility lines through agricultural operation","url":"\/56-257.5\/","token":"56\/10\/5\/56-257.5","metadata":false},{"id":370224,"structure_id":52727,"section_number":"56-258","catch_line":"Who to permit laying of pipelines in roads","url":"\/56-258\/","token":"56\/10\/5\/56-258","metadata":false},{"id":370226,"structure_id":52727,"section_number":"56-259","catch_line":" Rights-of-way, etc., may be contracted for; location of easements of public service corporations","url":"\/56-259\/","token":"56\/10\/5\/56-259","metadata":false},{"id":370225,"structure_id":52727,"section_number":"56-259.1","catch_line":"Instruments conveying easements to public service corporations","url":"\/56-259.1\/","token":"56\/10\/5\/56-259.1","metadata":false},{"id":370229,"structure_id":52727,"section_number":"56-260","catch_line":"Compensation for damages","url":"\/56-260\/","token":"56\/10\/5\/56-260","metadata":false},{"id":370228,"structure_id":52727,"section_number":"56-260.1","catch_line":"Contract provisions exempting company from liability unlawful","url":"\/56-260.1\/","token":"56\/10\/5\/56-260.1","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":370229,"structure_id":52727,"section_number":"56-260","catch_line":"Compensation for damages","url":"\/56-260\/","token":"56\/10\/5\/56-260","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/56-260.1\/","history_text":"<p>This law was first created in 1964. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 523 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1964 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1476083,"object_type":"law","relational_id":370228,"identifier":"56-260.1","token":"56\/10\/5\/56-260.1","url":"\/56-260.1\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/56-260.1\/","token":"56\/10\/5\/56-260.1","dublin_core":{"Title":"Contract provisions exempting company from liability unlawful","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 56-260.1","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section><p>No <span class=\"dictionary\">contract<\/span> for an easement of right-of-way for a pipeline, power or telephone line, sewer, main or similar works shall contain any provision which purports to exempt the <span class=\"dictionary\">corporation<\/span> erecting, laying or installing the same from liability for injuries sustained by any <span class=\"dictionary\">person<\/span> or property by reason of the laying, constructing, maintaining, operating, repairing, altering, replacing or removal of, or any failure or defect in, such line, sewer, main or works. Any such provision in any such <span class=\"dictionary\">contract<\/span> is hereby declared to be against public policy and shall be null and void and unenforceable; provided, that this provision shall not apply as to any <span class=\"dictionary\">cause of action<\/span> arising prior to June 26, 1964.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":"                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nCONTRACT PROVISIONS EXEMPTING COMPANY FROM LIABILITY UNLAWFUL (\u00a7 56-260.1)\n\nNo contract for an easement of right-of-way for a pipeline, power or telephone\nline, sewer, main or similar works shall contain any provision which purports to\nexempt the corporation erecting, laying or installing the same from liability\nfor injuries sustained by any person or property by reason of the laying,\nconstructing, maintaining, operating, repairing, altering, replacing or removal\nof, or any failure or defect in, such line, sewer, main or works. Any such\nprovision in any such contract is hereby declared to be against public policy\nand shall be null and void and unenforceable; provided, that this provision\nshall not apply as to any cause of action arising prior to June 26, 1964.\n\nHISTORY: 1964, c. 523.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}