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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>360847</law_id><section_number>36-96.16</section_number><catch_line>Civil action by Attorney General upon referral of charge by the Real Estate Board</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><referred_to_by><reference>36-96.14</reference></referred_to_by><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> Not later than thirty days after a charge is referred by the Board to the <span class="dictionary">Attorney General</span> under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Issuance of a charge" href="/36-96.14/">36-96.14</a>, the <span class="dictionary">Attorney General</span> shall commence and maintain a <span class="dictionary">civil action</span> seeking relief on behalf of the <span class="dictionary">complainant</span> in the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> for the city, county, or town in which the unlawful discriminatory housing practice has occurred or is about to occur. <a id="paragraph-1342744" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/36-96.16/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Any <span class="dictionary">aggrieved person</span> with respect to the <span class="dictionary">issues</span> to be determined in a <span class="dictionary">civil action</span> pursuant to subsection A may intervene as of right. <a id="paragraph-1342745" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/36-96.16/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> In a <span class="dictionary">civil action</span> under this section, if the <span class="dictionary">court</span> or <span class="dictionary">jury</span> finds that a discriminatory housing practice has occurred or is about to occur, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> or <span class="dictionary">jury</span> may grant, as relief, any relief which a <span class="dictionary">court</span> could grant with respect to such discriminatory housing practice in a <span class="dictionary">civil action</span> under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Civil action; enforcement by private parties" href="/36-96.18/">36-96.18</a>. Any relief so granted that would accrue to an <span class="dictionary">aggrieved person</span> under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Civil action; enforcement by private parties" href="/36-96.18/">36-96.18</a> shall also accrue to the <span class="dictionary">aggrieved person</span> in a <span class="dictionary">civil action</span> under this section. If monetary relief is sought for the benefit of an <span class="dictionary">aggrieved person</span> who does not intervene in the <span class="dictionary">civil action</span>, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall not award such relief if that <span class="dictionary">aggrieved person</span> has not complied with <span class="dictionary">discovery</span> <span class="dictionary">orders</span> entered by the <span class="dictionary">court</span> in the course of the action brought under this section. <a id="paragraph-1342746" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/36-96.16/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> In any <span class="dictionary">court</span> proceeding arising under this section, the <span class="dictionary">court</span>, in its discretion, may allow the prevailing <span class="dictionary">party</span> reasonable attorney&#x2019;s fees and costs. <a id="paragraph-1342747" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/36-96.16/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1991, c. 557; 1994, c. 814.</history><metadata><court_decisions><item key="0"><name>Fishel v. Windsor Plaza Condo. Ass'n</name><case_number>131817</case_number><citation></citation><date>2014-12-31</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/2765875/fishel-v-windsor-plaza-condo-assn/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. PRESENT:   All the Justices .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Supreme Court of Virginia">SCV</abbr></court_html></item><item key="1"><name>REVI, LLC v. Chicago Title Insurance Co.</name><case_number>Record 141562.</case_number><citation>776 S.E.2d 808</citation><date>2015-09-17</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/2959680/revi-llc-v-chicago-title-insurance-co/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. Justice KELSEY, dissenting. .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Supreme Court of Virginia">SCV</abbr></court_html></item></court_decisions></metadata></law>
