No attachment against any ship, boat, or other vessel of more than twenty tons, shall issue unless the plaintiff or someone in his behalf, shall first establish, to the satisfaction of the court in which he files his petition for attachment that he has a reasonable expectation of recovering an amount exclusive of all costs, equal to at least one-half the damages demanded in the petition for attachment. Reasonable notice of appearance before the court shall be given the owner, agent or master of said vessel, and at the time of the appearance the court shall determine the amount of such reasonable expectation of recovery and the amount of bond necessary to secure the release of the vessel if and when a writ be levied in accordance with this section.
No attachment issued in violation of the provisions of this section shall create a valid lien upon the property sought to be attached, and no levy made under authority thereof shall be of any effect.
Code 1950, § 8-524.1; 1954, c. 254; 1977, c. 617.
Structure Code of Virginia
Title 8.01 - Civil Remedies and Procedure
Chapter 20 - Attachments and Bail in Civil Cases
§ 8.01-533. Who may sue out attachment
§ 8.01-534. Grounds of action for pretrial levy or seizure of attachment
§ 8.01-535. Jurisdiction of attachments; trial or hearing of issues
§ 8.01-536. Pleadings in attachment
§ 8.01-537. Petition for attachment; costs, fees and taxes
§ 8.01-537.1. Plaintiff to file bond
§ 8.01-538. Attachment of ships, boats and other vessels of more than twenty tons
§ 8.01-539. Who made defendants
§ 8.01-540. Issuance of attachment; against what attachment to issue
§ 8.01-541. To whom attachments directed; when and where returned
§ 8.01-542. Issue and execution of attachment on any day
§ 8.01-543. Issue of other attachments on original petition
§ 8.01-544. When attachment not served other attachments may issue; order of publication
§ 8.01-545. Amendments; formal defects
§ 8.01-546. What attachment to command; summons
§ 8.01-546.1. Exemption claims form
§ 8.01-546.2. Hearing on claim of exemption from levy or seizure
§ 8.01-547. Attachment against remainders
§ 8.01-548. Who may levy attachment and on what
§ 8.01-549. Restraining order or receiver
§ 8.01-550. How attachment levied
§ 8.01-551. When officer to take possession of property
§ 8.01-554. Where bond returned and filed; exceptions to bond
§ 8.01-555. When appeal bond given property to be delivered to owner
§ 8.01-556. Bonds may be given by any person
§ 8.01-557. Lien of attachment; priority of holder in due course
§ 8.01-558. Attachment lien on effects already in hands of officer
§ 8.01-560. How interest and profits of property applied in certain cases
§ 8.01-561. How property to be kept; how sold, when expensive to keep or perishable
§ 8.01-562. Examination on oath of codefendant; order and bond
§ 8.01-563. Principal defendant may claim exemption
§ 8.01-564. Procedure when codefendant fails to appear
§ 8.01-565. Suggestion that codefendant has not made full disclosure
§ 8.01-566. Who may make defense to attachment
§ 8.01-567. What defense may be made to attachments
§ 8.01-568. Quashing attachment or rendering judgment for defendant
§ 8.01-569. When petition dismissed; when retained and cause tried
§ 8.01-570. Judgment, etc., of court when claim of plaintiff established
§ 8.01-571. When defendant not served fails to appear plaintiff required to give bond
§ 8.01-572. Sale of real estate attached
§ 8.01-573. How and when claims of other persons to property tried
§ 8.01-574. Attachments in connection with pending suits or actions
§ 8.01-575. Rehearing permitted when judgment rendered on publication
§ 8.01-576. Order of court on rehearing or new trial; restitution to defendant