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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>377232</law_id><section_number>8.01-384</section_number><catch_line>Formal exceptions to rulings or orders of court unnecessary; motion for new trial unnecessary in certain cases</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="25" identifier="13">Certain Incidents of Trial</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Formal exceptions to rulings or <span class="dictionary">orders</span> of the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall be unnecessary; but for all purposes for which an exception has heretofore been necessary, it shall be sufficient that a <span class="dictionary">party</span>, at the time the ruling or <span class="dictionary">order</span> of the <span class="dictionary">court</span> is made or sought, makes known to the <span class="dictionary">court</span> the <span class="dictionary">action</span> which he desires the <span class="dictionary">court</span> to take or his objections to the <span class="dictionary">action</span> of the <span class="dictionary">court</span> and his grounds therefor; and, if a <span class="dictionary">party</span> has no opportunity to <span class="dictionary">object</span> to a ruling or <span class="dictionary">order</span> at the time it is made, the absence of an objection shall not thereafter prejudice him on <span class="dictionary">motion</span> for a new <span class="dictionary">trial</span> or on <span class="dictionary">appeal</span>. No <span class="dictionary">party</span>, after having made an objection or <span class="dictionary">motion</span> known to the <span class="dictionary">court</span>, shall be required to (i) make such objection or <span class="dictionary">motion</span> again in <span class="dictionary">order</span> to preserve his right to <span class="dictionary">appeal</span>, challenge, or move for reconsideration of, a ruling, <span class="dictionary">order</span>, or <span class="dictionary">action</span> of the <span class="dictionary">court</span> or (ii) move for reconsideration in <span class="dictionary">order</span> to preserve his right to <span class="dictionary">appeal</span> a ruling, <span class="dictionary">order</span>, or <span class="dictionary">action</span> of the <span class="dictionary">court</span>, even if such ruling, <span class="dictionary">order</span>, or <span class="dictionary">action</span> is without prejudice to a <span class="dictionary">motion</span> to reconsider. No <span class="dictionary">party</span> shall be deemed to have agreed to, or acquiesced in, any written <span class="dictionary">order</span> of a <span class="dictionary">trial</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> so as to forfeit his right to contest such <span class="dictionary">order</span> on <span class="dictionary">appeal</span> except by express written agreement in his endorsement of the <span class="dictionary">order</span>. Arguments made at <span class="dictionary">trial</span> via written pleading, <span class="dictionary">memorandum</span>, recital of objections in a <span class="dictionary">final order</span>, <span class="dictionary">oral argument</span> reduced to <span class="dictionary">transcript</span>, or agreed written statements of <span class="dictionary">facts</span> shall, unless expressly withdrawn or waived, be deemed preserved therein for assertion on <span class="dictionary">appeal</span>. <a id="paragraph-1407895" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-384/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> The failure to make a <span class="dictionary">motion</span> for a new <span class="dictionary">trial</span> in any case in which an <span class="dictionary">appeal</span>, <span class="dictionary">writ</span> of error, or supersedeas lies to or from a higher <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall not be deemed a <span class="dictionary">waiver</span> of any objection made during the <span class="dictionary">trial</span> if such objection be properly made a part of the record. <a id="paragraph-1407896" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-384/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7;&#xA7; 8-225, 8-225.1; 1970, c. 558; 1977, c. 617; 1992, c. 564; 2024, c. 57.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
