A. In order to protect or preserve the interests or legal rights of the Commonwealth and its citizens, the Governor may, by and with the advice of the Attorney General, institute any action, suit, motion or other proceeding, in the name of the Commonwealth, in the Supreme Court of the United States or any other court or tribunal in which such action, suit, motion or other proceeding may be properly commenced and prosecuted.
B. In accordance with subsection A and pursuant to his duty to protect or preserve the general welfare of the citizens of the Commonwealth, the Governor may institute any action, suit, motion or other proceeding on behalf of its citizens, in the name of the Commonwealth acting in its capacity as parens patriae, where he has determined that existing legal procedures fail to adequately protect existing legal rights and interests of such citizens.
Code 1950, § 2-43; 1966, c. 677, § 2.1-49; 1975, c. 241; 2001, c. 844.
Structure Code of Virginia
Title 2.2 - Administration of Government
§ 2.2-100. Salaries of Governor and other officers; administrative assistants
§ 2.2-101. Clerical forces and office expenses of Governor
§ 2.2-102. Personal staff as commander in chief
§ 2.2-104. Delegation of powers
§ 2.2-105. Appointments to office; effect of refusal to confirm by the General Assembly
§ 2.2-106. Appointment of agency heads; disclosure of resumes; severance
§ 2.2-108. Removal of members of certain boards, commissions, etc.
§ 2.2-109.01. Signed statements required from appointees
§ 2.2-110. Officers of Commonwealth and its institutions to make reports to Governor
§ 2.2-111. Suits, actions, etc., by Governor
§ 2.2-112. To whom return on warrant of Governor to be made
§ 2.2-113. Temporary suspension of state mandates
§ 2.2-114. Coordination of official communications with federal and foreign governments
§ 2.2-115. Commonwealth's Development Opportunity Fund
§ 2.2-115.1. COVID-19 Relief Fund
§ 2.2-116. Service on board of national tobacco trust entity
§ 2.2-117. Governor to administer anti-crime partnership program
§ 2.2-120. Powers with respect to state-owned motor vehicles
§ 2.2-122. Commercial use of seals of the Commonwealth
§ 2.2-123. Authority over rooms and space in public buildings
§ 2.2-124. Regulation of athletic leaves of absence
§ 2.2-125. Governor authorized to accept certain property from Confederate Memorial Literary Society
§ 2.2-126. Disposition of official correspondence
§ 2.2-129. Reorganization plans
§ 2.2-130. Contents of reorganization plans
§ 2.2-131. Limitation on powers
§ 2.2-132. Approval by the General Assembly; effective date; publication
§ 2.2-133. Effect on other laws, pending legal proceedings, and unexpended appropriations
§ 2.2-134. Authority to create gubernatorial commissions