<?xml version="1.0"?>
<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>378299</law_id><section_number>8.7-601</section_number><catch_line>Lost, stolen or destroyed documents</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="26" identifier="8.7">Commercial Code &#x2014; Warehouse Receipts, Bills of Lading and Other Documents of Title</unit><unit label="part" level="2" order_by="6" identifier="6">Warehouse Receipts and Bills of Lading: Miscellaneous Provisions</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> If a document has been lost, stolen or destroyed, a <span class="dictionary">court</span> may <span class="dictionary">order</span> delivery of the goods or issuance of a substitute document and the bailee may without liability to any person comply with such <span class="dictionary">order</span>. If the document was negotiable, a <span class="dictionary">court</span> may not <span class="dictionary">order</span> delivery of the goods or issuance of a substitute document without the claimant&#x2019;s posting security unless it finds that any person who may suffer loss as a result of nonsurrender of <span class="dictionary">possession</span> or control of the document is adequately protected against the loss. If the document was not negotiable, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> may require security. The <span class="dictionary">court</span> may also in its discretion <span class="dictionary">order</span> payment of the bailee&#x2019;s reasonable costs and attorney&#x2019;s fees in any action under this subsection. <a id="paragraph-1411392" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.7-601/#1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="2"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> A bailee who, without <span class="dictionary">court order</span>, delivers goods to a person claiming under a missing negotiable document is liable to any person injured thereby. If the delivery is not in good faith, the bailee becomes liable for conversion. Delivery in good faith is not conversion if the claimant posts security with the bailee in an amount at least double the value of the goods at the time of posting to indemnify any person injured by the delivery who files a notice of claim within one year after the delivery. <a id="paragraph-1411393" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.7-601/#2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 61-17; 1964, c. 219; 2004, c. 200.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
