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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>360841</law_id><section_number>36-96.10</section_number><catch_line>Procedures for investigation</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="83" identifier="36">Housing</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="5" identifier="5.1">Virginia Fair Housing Law</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> The Board shall commence proceedings with respect to a complaint within thirty days after receipt of the complaint, and shall complete the investigation within 100 days thereof unless it is impracticable to do so. If the Board is unable to complete the investigation within 100 days after the receipt of the complaint, the <span class="dictionary">aggrieved person</span> and the <span class="dictionary">respondent</span> shall be notified in writing of the reasons for not doing so. <a id="paragraph-1342724" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/36-96.10/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> When conducting an investigation of a complaint filed under this chapter, the Board shall have the right to interview any person who may have any information which may further its investigation and to request production of any records or documents for inspection and copying in the <span class="dictionary">possession</span> of any person which may further the investigation. Such <span class="dictionary">persons</span> shall be interviewed under <span class="dictionary">oath</span>. The Board or its designated subordinates shall have the power to <span class="dictionary">issue</span> and serve a <span class="dictionary">subpoena</span> to any such person to appear and testify and to produce any such records or documents for inspection and copying. Said <span class="dictionary">subpoenas</span> and <span class="dictionary">discovery</span> may be ordered to the same extent and subject to the same limitations as would apply if the <span class="dictionary">subpoenas</span> or <span class="dictionary">discovery</span> were ordered or served as part of a <span class="dictionary">civil action</span> in the Commonwealth of Virginia. In case of refusal or neglect to obey a <span class="dictionary">subpoena</span>, the Board may <span class="dictionary">petition</span> for its enforcement in the <span class="dictionary">Circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">Court</span> for the City of Richmond. The <span class="dictionary">hearing</span> on such <span class="dictionary">petition</span> shall be given priority on the <span class="dictionary">court</span> <span class="dictionary">docket</span> over all cases which are not otherwise given priority on the <span class="dictionary">court</span> <span class="dictionary">docket</span> by <span class="dictionary">law</span>. <a id="paragraph-1342725" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/36-96.10/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> At the end of each investigation under this section, the Board shall prepare a final investigative report containing: <a id="paragraph-1342726" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/36-96.10/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> The names and dates of contacts with witnesses; <a id="paragraph-1342727" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/36-96.10/#C1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> A summary and the dates of correspondence and other contacts with the <span class="dictionary">aggrieved person</span> and the <span class="dictionary">respondent</span>; <a id="paragraph-1342728" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/36-96.10/#C2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> A summary description of other pertinent records; <a id="paragraph-1342729" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/36-96.10/#C3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> A summary of <span class="dictionary">witness</span> statements; and <a id="paragraph-1342730" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/36-96.10/#C4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C5" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">5.</span> Answers to <span class="dictionary">interrogatories</span>.
				A final report under this subsection may be amended if additional <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> is later discovered. <a id="paragraph-1342731" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/36-96.10/#C5"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> The Board shall make available to the <span class="dictionary">aggrieved person</span> and the <span class="dictionary">respondent</span>, at any time, upon request following completion of the Board&#x2019;s investigation, information derived from an investigation and any final investigative report relating to that investigation. <a id="paragraph-1342732" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/36-96.10/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1975, c. 566, &#xA7; 36-94.1; 1991, c. 557; 1998, c. 634.</history><metadata><court_decisions></court_decisions></metadata></law>
