An attachment may be levied as follows:

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Terms Used In Virginia Code 8.01-550

  • Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
  • Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Person: shall include individuals, a trust, an estate, a partnership, an association, an order, a corporation, or any other legal or commercial entity;

    6. See Virginia Code 8.01-2

  • Personal property: All property that is not real property.
  • real estate: includes lands, tenements and hereditaments, and all rights and appurtenances thereto and interests therein, other than a chattel interest. See Virginia Code 1-219
  • Sheriff: shall include deputy sheriffs and such other persons designated in § Virginia Code 8.01-2

On tangible personal property in possession of a principal defendant, whether such possession be actual or constructive, it may be levied as at common law or by delivering a copy of the attachment to such principal defendant or, if possession is requested in the petition, then by taking possession of such personal property;

On choses in action or on tangible personal property in possession of any defendant other than the principal defendant, it may be levied by delivering a copy of the attachment to the person indebted to the principal defendant or having possession of the property belonging to him; and

On real estate, it may be levied by such estate being mentioned and described in an endorsement on the attachment by the officer to whom it is delivered for service to the following effect:

“Levied on the following real estate of the defendant A. (or defendants A.
and B.), to-wit: (here describe the real estate) this the…………….…
day of……………………..… at……….… o’clock. E.F., sheriff
(or other officer),”

and by service of the attachment on the person, if any, in possession of such real estate.

Wherever a copy of an attachment is required or allowed to be served on any person, natural or artificial, it may be served as a notice is served under §§ 8.01-296, 8.01-299, 8.01-300 or 8.01-301, as the case may be.

Code 1950, § 8-537; 1977, c. 617; 1984, c. 646.