{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/57-39.7.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/57-39.7.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/57-39.7.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/57-39.7.html"}],"law_id":370818,"edition_id":2,"section_id":370818,"structure_id":52810,"section_number":"57-39.7","catch_line":"Applicability; abandonment determination limited in certain circumstances","history":"1962, c. 264; 1964, c. 111; 1985, c. 414; 2020, c. 669.","full_text":"Sections 57-39.2 through 57-39.6 shall be construed to apply to and authorize a determination of abandonment of any unoccupied part of a cemetery lot. In any proceeding to determine the abandonment of an unoccupied part of a cemetery lot, the court shall also determine what part, if any, shall be considered as having been abandoned. Such sections shall not be construed to apply to and authorize a determination of abandonment of (i) that part of a cemetery lot wherein there has been an interment, (ii) any cemetery lot or part thereof to which unrestricted fee simple title has been conveyed by a cemetery, or (iii) any cemetery lot or part thereof for which perpetual care has been provided by contract with the city, town, corporation, association, or trustees having ownership and charge of the cemetery containing any such lot or part thereof.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1383315,"text":"Sections 57-39.2 through 57-39.6 shall be construed to apply to and authorize a determination of abandonment of any unoccupied part of a cemetery lot. In any proceeding to determine the abandonment of an unoccupied part of a cemetery lot, the court shall also determine what part, if any, shall be considered as having been abandoned. Such sections shall not be construed to apply to and authorize a determination of abandonment of (i) that part of a cemetery lot wherein there has been an interment, (ii) any cemetery lot or part thereof to which unrestricted fee simple title has been conveyed by a cemetery, or (iii) any cemetery lot or part thereof for which perpetual care has been provided by contract with the city, town, corporation, association, or trustees having ownership and charge of the cemetery containing any such lot or part thereof.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":52810,"edition_id":2,"name":"Acquisition of Abandoned Lots in Cities and Certain Towns","identifier":"5","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":3,"parent_id":52801,"metadata":{"child_laws":6,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 03:06:11","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:35:48","permalink":{"id":1478769,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52810,"identifier":"5","token":"57\/3\/5","url":"\/57\/3\/5\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":52801,"edition_id":2,"name":"Cemeteries","identifier":"3","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":3,"parent_id":52796,"metadata":{"child_laws":46,"child_structures":10},"date_created":"2026-08-02 03:06:03","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:35:47","permalink":{"id":1478627,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52801,"identifier":"3","token":"57\/3","url":"\/57\/3\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":52796,"edition_id":2,"name":"Religious and Charitable Matters; Cemeteries","identifier":"57","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":123,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":105,"child_structures":18},"date_created":"2026-08-02 03:05:57","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:35:46","permalink":{"id":1478503,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52796,"identifier":"57","token":"57","url":"\/57\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":370807,"structure_id":52810,"section_number":"57-39.2","catch_line":"Reversion of unoccupied cemetery lots in cities and certain towns; rebuttable presumption","url":"\/57-39.2\/","token":"57\/3\/5\/57-39.2","metadata":false},{"id":370814,"structure_id":52810,"section_number":"57-39.3","catch_line":"Proceedings; determination of abandonment","url":"\/57-39.3\/","token":"57\/3\/5\/57-39.3","metadata":false},{"id":370815,"structure_id":52810,"section_number":"57-39.4","catch_line":"Notice to owner of record; publication","url":"\/57-39.4\/","token":"57\/3\/5\/57-39.4","metadata":false},{"id":370816,"structure_id":52810,"section_number":"57-39.5","catch_line":"Judicial determination; conveyance of title","url":"\/57-39.5\/","token":"57\/3\/5\/57-39.5","metadata":false},{"id":370817,"structure_id":52810,"section_number":"57-39.6","catch_line":"Sale of abandoned cemetery lot","url":"\/57-39.6\/","token":"57\/3\/5\/57-39.6","metadata":false},{"id":370818,"structure_id":52810,"section_number":"57-39.7","catch_line":"Applicability; abandonment determination limited in certain circumstances","url":"\/57-39.7\/","token":"57\/3\/5\/57-39.7","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":370817,"structure_id":52810,"section_number":"57-39.6","catch_line":"Sale of abandoned cemetery lot","url":"\/57-39.6\/","token":"57\/3\/5\/57-39.6","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/57-39.7\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1962. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 264 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 1962 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 3 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1964, chapter 111; in 1985, chapter 414; in 2020, chapter 669<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":370807,"section_number":"57-39.2","catch_line":"Reversion of unoccupied cemetery lots in cities and certain towns; rebuttable presumption","order_by":null,"url":"\/57-39.2\/"},{"id":370817,"section_number":"57-39.6","catch_line":"Sale of abandoned cemetery lot","order_by":null,"url":"\/57-39.6\/"}],"permalink":{"id":1478791,"object_type":"law","relational_id":370818,"identifier":"57-39.7","token":"57\/3\/5\/57-39.7","url":"\/57-39.7\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/57-39.7\/","token":"57\/3\/5\/57-39.7","dublin_core":{"Title":"Applicability; abandonment determination limited in certain circumstances","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 57-39.7","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Sections 57-39.2<\/a> through 57-39.6<\/a> shall be construed to apply to and authorize a determination of abandonment of any unoccupied part of a cemetery lot. In any proceeding to determine the abandonment of an unoccupied part of a cemetery lot, the court<\/span> shall also determine what part, if any, shall be considered as having been abandoned. Such sections shall not be construed to apply to and authorize a determination of abandonment of (i) that part of a cemetery lot wherein there has been an interment, (ii) any cemetery lot or part thereof to which unrestricted fee simple title has been conveyed by a cemetery, or (iii) any cemetery lot or part thereof for which perpetual care has been provided by contract<\/span> with the city, town, corporation, association, or trustees having ownership and charge of the cemetery containing any such lot or part thereof.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nAPPLICABILITY; ABANDONMENT DETERMINATION LIMITED IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES (\u00a7\n57-39.7)\n\nSections 57-39.2 through 57-39.6 shall be construed to apply to and authorize a\ndetermination of abandonment of any unoccupied part of a cemetery lot. In any\nproceeding to determine the abandonment of an unoccupied part of a cemetery lot,\nthe court shall also determine what part, if any, shall be considered as having\nbeen abandoned. Such sections shall not be construed to apply to and authorize a\ndetermination of abandonment of (i) that part of a cemetery lot wherein there\nhas been an interment, (ii) any cemetery lot or part thereof to which\nunrestricted fee simple title has been conveyed by a cemetery, or (iii) any\ncemetery lot or part thereof for which perpetual care has been provided by\ncontract with the city, town, corporation, association, or trustees having\nownership and charge of the cemetery containing any such lot or part thereof.\n\nHISTORY: 1962, c. 264; 1964, c. 111; 1985, c. 414; 2020, c. 669.","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"}}