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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>377010</law_id><section_number>8.01-23</section_number><catch_line>Decree in suit when number of parties exceeds 30 and one of them dies</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="12" identifier="8.01">Civil Remedies and Procedure</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="3" identifier="2">Parties</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="3" identifier="3">Death or Change of Parties</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>When, in any <span class="dictionary">suit</span> involving a decedent&#x2019;s estate or a trust, the number of parties exceeds 30, and any one of the parties jointly interested with others in any question arising therein, dies, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> may, notwithstanding, if in its <span class="dictionary">opinion</span> all classes of interests are represented and no one will be prejudiced thereby, proceed to render a <span class="dictionary">decree</span> in such <span class="dictionary">suit</span> as if such <span class="dictionary">party</span> were alive; decreeing to the heirs, devisees, legatees, distributees, or personal representatives, as the case may be, such interest as the deceased <span class="dictionary">person</span>, if alive, would be entitled to. The provisions of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Within what time case reheard on petition of party served by publication, and any injustice corrected" href="/8.01-322/">8.01-322</a> shall apply to <span class="dictionary">decrees</span> entered hereunder.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7;&#xA7; 8-155, 8-156; 1977, c. 617; 2005, c. 681.</history><metadata><court_decisions><item key="0"><name>Paoli v. Lally</name><case_number>No. 86-7188</case_number><citation>812 F.2d 1489</citation><date>1987-03-09</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/8957608/paoli-v-lally/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. SPROUSE, Circuit Judge: .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html>Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit</court_html></item><item key="1"><name>Paoli v. Lally</name><case_number>86-7188</case_number><citation>812 F.2d 1489</citation><date>1987-03-09</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/484255/paoli-v-lally/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. 812 F.2d 1489 .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html>Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit</court_html></item></court_decisions></metadata></law>
